Patriotic "New York" Coat of Arms Silk and Metallic Embroidered Souvenir, Early 20th Century

Presented is a patriotic “New York” silk and metallic thread embroidered souvenir, dating to the early 20th century. The souvenir is a glorious and intricate crafted depiction of the New York State's coat of arms. At top are thirteen silver stars in an arc above the embroidered text “New York,” which rays out from a spread-wing eagle with a U.S. Shield, arrows, and an unfurling “E. Pluribus Unum” banner in its talons. At center, female allegorical representations of “Liberty” and “Justice” are flanked by waving American flags. Between them is a shield-form vignette, featuring a Hudson River landscape with a lighthouse, mountains, and a rising sun, and another banner with the text “Excelsior” (ever upward) below. The design is completed at bottom with the stitched text “Fearless And Independent”. This embroidered banner was most likely made in Japan as a souvenir sold to traveling American merchants and sailors.

Souvenir shops were numerous in popular Japanese ports, advertising directly to the American merchants and sailors and touting souvenirs for family members and loved ones. Kimonos, tablecloths, shawls, paintings, calendars, and Christmas cards could be found alongside these patriotic embroideries. Following the earlier tradition of British and American sailor-made woolies, these later 19th century embroidered souvenirs featured many of the same design motifs as their predecessors, including flags, eagles, boats and anchors, and patriotic mottos. 

Embroidery shops in Yokohama, Nagasaki, and Tokyo produced large numbers of these needleworks. They often produced catalogs filled with popular nautical or patriotic designs, with options for sailors’ own customization, like the name of their boat, cities they had visited, and even the option to insert small photographs or portraits. With bold colors, eye-catching metallic sheen, and intricate stitching, these embroidered souvenirs were the most popular during the Great White Fleet tour of 1907-1909, but earlier examples can date to the 1890s. Many of the examples we see today are created by the George Washington Company out of Yokohama, Japan, which operated from the 1890s all the way to 1939. 

CONDITION:

In very good condition. Tan silk field, expertly embroidered with silk and metallic thread, in red, white, black, blue, gray, green, gold and silver. Trapunto embroidery is intact with very minimal pulls, snags, or losses. Wrinkles to silk along edges, very small scattered stains to the tan silk field. Colors only slightly faded, yet metallic threads remain very bright.

Banner is framed in a custom archival wooden frame, with UV glass. Framed Dimensions: 25 3/4" H x 27 3/4" W x 1 1/4" D. 

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.