Drape
Object Name
Drape
Label
Dyed a vibrant copper orange, this velvet cotton drape was installed in the auditorium balcony only weeks before Beaver Meadows opened its doors to the public.
Throughout the drape selection process, consideration was given to texture (pleated or shirred), whether the drape would be lined or unlined, length, inclusion of top and bottom fasteners, and the use of heavy duty hardware. Finally, Taliesin and park officials decided on the velvet drapes shown above for the auditorium balcony.
While velvet drapes were used in the auditorium, Taliesin considered wooden shutters for the visitor center lobby, storage area, conference room, and offices. These would have offered a tangible example of the transition from the NPS Rustic style that dominated the early twentieth century. However, in September of 1966, both Charles Gordon Lee and Dale Devine agreed on sheer lined, salmon colored, beta fiberglass curtains for the remaining visitor center window furnishings. While popular in the 1960s, fiberglass drapery is no longer in general use due to reports of skin irritation from contact with the fabric and improperly cleaned containers used to wash the fabric. Now only used for specific industry purposes, fiberglass fabric has been displaced by polyester and modacrylic fibers.
Collection Number
ROMO #27100Date of Requisition
May 4, 1966Materials
Velvet, Yarn Count 40 x 40 x 30, 600 tufts per square inch, 100% cotton, water repellent and dirt resistant. “Copper” color.
