Trapuntos - Japanese and Oriental Embrioderies

U.S. Trapunto with Naval Symbols. This is an American trapunto featuring an American bald eagle with arrows and olive branches, three United States flags, an American shield and a scroll with E Pluribus Unum with 13 stars in the background from the early 1900s.

U.S. Trapunto with Naval Symbols. This is an American trapunto featuring an American bald eagle with arrows and olive branches perched on an upright anchor flanked by four United States flags, an American shield and a scroll with E Pluribus Unum from the early 1900s.

U.S. Naval Trapunto. This is an embroidered U.S. naval trapunto featuring American eagle, with arrows and olive branches perched on an upright anchor flanked by a United States flag, an American shield and scroll with E Pluribus Unum, from the early 1900s.

Irish American Trapunto. Irish American Trapunto depicting an American Eagle with arrows and olive branches, two United States Flags, two "Irish" flags, and an American shield and scroll inscribed "E Pluribus Unum" with 13 stars semé in the background. It was, doubtless, purchased by an American of Irish descent in the 1900s.

U.S. Trapunto Banner With Naval Symbols. This souvenir trapunto features U.S. flags, an anchor, a life-preserver and two fierce-looking Chinese Dragons. The eagle is attacking one of the dragons, suggesting that this piece dates from 1900 and the suppression of the Boxers in Peking.

HMS Glory Trapunto - 1900 to 1904 UK Royal Navy Trapunto for a crewman from the HMS Glory, assigned to the China Station. The design consists of a panoply of naval ensigns around exquisite embroidery of Glory, surmounted by the Imperial Crown.

Germany Zur Erinnerung an meine Reise, or, "memories of my journey" Trapunto. This is embroidered, Zur Erinnerung an mein Reise, or, "memories of my journey." This is a souvenir, possibly from the maiden voyage of the SS Koing Albert, personalized to Victor Walter.

Imperial German Chinese-made Trapunto - SMS Ilkis 1902. This Imperial German naval trapunto is embroidered Zur Erinnerung, Weihnachten 1702 ( In memory of Christmas 1702) and is likely Chinese-made embroidery done in the style of the more elaborate and more mutinously stitched trapuntos from Japan.

Norwegian-American Trapunto. Norwegian American Trapunto featuring the arms of Norway flanked by the Norwegian national flag and ensign and two stylized U.S flags with only 9 stars and 11 stripes. The motto on the scroll, Brader Folkenes Val, roughly translates as, "welfare to brother nations".

U.S. Army, Trapunto, "In Memory of My Cruise in Philippine Islands", 1900. The young soldier who commissioned this trapunto chose to include an image of himself nestled among the panoply of flags representing nations with imperial and economic interests in Asia.

Imperial German Naval Trapunto - SMS Irene, 1911 to 1914. This is an Imperial German naval trapunto from a crewman of the SMS Irene; a cruiser of the Imperial German Navy's East Asia Squadron in the late 1890s and early 1900s. It is personalized to the sailor Bahne Stohrmann.

U.S. Naval Trapunto from the USS Tennessee. This is a U.S. naval trapunto identified to the USS Tennessee. Embroidered across the top of the piece is, "In Remembrance of My Cruise in China, Japan and Philippine Waters", a display of six 48 star U.S. flags on which an embroidered image of a U.S. Armored Cruiser Tennessee is placed.

U.S. Army Tientsin Chinese Embroidery - Capt. Allan Sullivan. This is Chinese made embroidery crafted to mimic the more elaborate Japanese Trapuntos, which were a kind of filled embroidery popular as souvenirs among occupying U.S. soldiers.

U.S. Maritime Trapunto made for Lowell F. Bender, 1939. This example is among the latest known dated trapuntos. It bears many similarities to U.S. naval trapuntos: The inscription across the top reads, "In Memory of My Cruise to the Orient".