Hooked on Rugs: A Sampler from the Collection

Written by
Charles Sable

Charles Sable is curator of decorative arts at The Henry Ford.

Hooked Rug made by Pearl Barton Laudan, circa 1900

Decorative hooked rugs are made by pulling loops of yarn or fabric through a stiff woven base, historically made of burlap. Loops are pulled through the backing material by using a crochet-type hook mounted in a wood handle. The rug's design derives from the creativity, resourcefulness, and dexterity of its maker. Rug hooking began in America in the early 1800s by rural women eager to create something useful from scrap materials. Over the past 200 years, it evolved from an expressive art of necessity to a deeply creative endeavor.  

THF374232

Hooked Rug, circa 1860

This example is characteristic of early-19th-century hooked rugs. The pattern is a series of floral sprays and foliage arranged around a center section derived from the French Fleur-de-Lys, a three-part lily and symbol of the monarchy. The Fleur-de-Lys is also part of the symbols used by the British Prince of Wales. The unknown maker was likely familiar with this symbol.

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Hooked Applique Braided Rug, circa 1850

The unknown maker of this rug created an eye-catching, sophisticated design, employing a variety of fabrics and techniques. This rug is mostly hooked yarn and fabric but also consists of trapezoidal fabric sections sewn into the rug that are appliqued with woolen felt circles. The cable border is hooked from striped fabric, while the outer border is made from a three-strand fabric braid, sewn to the rug.
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Hooked Rug made by Lydia Noyes Dole Ordway, 1850-1875

This rug — one of the most complicated pictorial scenes in the entire hooked rug collection at The Henry Ford — depicts a pastoral scene surrounded by floral decoration. By the time that this rug was made, the craft had shifted from using scraps as a necessity to a pastime for women of means. Companies began selling patterns applied to the burlap backing to guide the rug hooker. In this case, the maker produced an extraordinary composition.
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Hooked Rug, 1870-1890

During the late 19th century, imported "Oriental" rugs gained great popularity in middle- and upper-class American homes. The patterns on this rug feature a sample of motifs seen in "Kilim" carpets made in Turkey. The geometric motifs at the top and the bottom appear to simulate the fringes of an "Oriental." The maker likely could not afford an expensive imported rug and created their own.
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Hooked Rug made by Pearl Barton Laudan, circa 1900

The red and green floral spray in this rug is reminiscent of late-19th-century wallpaper patterns. Pearl Laudan took what was generally a symmetrical pattern and transformed it into a whimsical form, with a simple gray background and tan central section. The rug almost appears like a 20th-century still life painting.
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Hooked Rug made by Pearl Barton Laudan, circa 1900

Pearl Laudan used strips of wool and cotton fabric to create a bold composition of scrolls and swirls on top of a field of gray and brown. The scrolls and swirls, outlined in white, extend beyond the confining red border. Even though the colors have faded over time, there is a vibrancy to the rug rarely seen in other 19th-century rugs.
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