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Presumably named for their city of origin, Wilton carpets were first woven in mid 18th century England. English weavers used Wilton handlooms to produce loop-pile and cut-pile carpeting. Both were woven in long strips, typically 27 inches wide, and stitched together by hand to make wall-to-wall carpeting. The 27-inch standard was possibly derived from the "Ell," a Flemish unit of measurement. Wilton handlooms required highly skilled weavers to operate them. Their skill level demanded such a high wage that Wilton carpets were beyond the reach of most 18th and 19th century households. In fact, Wilton carpets were affordable to middle-class Americans only after Erastus Bigelow invented the power loom for weaving in 1846. English mills switched to power looms later in the 19th century and were able to produce Wiltons at a much more affordable price. Mark Inc. has combined the classic Wilton handloom weaving tradition with a contemporary design style to produce some of the most sophisticated and luxurious carpets in the world. |
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