Horsehide Lap Robe, 1919

01

Artifact Overview

The open-air car bodies that prevailed into the 1920s gave little protection from cold. Automobile blankets, or lap robes, were popular accessories for cool-weather motoring. These heavy blankets, typically of wool, plush, or horsehide, and often waterproofed with a chemical treatment or a rubber backing, usually measured around 60 inches by 80 inches -- large enough for passengers to share.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Lap robe

Date Made

1919

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

2011.331.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of the Edwin and Fern Anderson family.

Material

Horsehide
Wool (Textile)

Color

Brown
Black (Color)
Red

Dimensions

Height: 67 in
Width: 57 in

Inscriptions

On tag: FERGUS FALLS HIDE & FUR CO. / FERGUS FALLS, MINN.