“An Incessant and Engrossing Pursuit”: Nancy Vincent McClelland, Wallpaper, and Period Decoration
Open AccessThis thesis examines Nancy Vincent McClelland’s period decorating practices, focusing on her use of wallpapers. McClelland (1877-1959) is known for her pioneering wallpaper studies and the authoritative text, Historic Wall-Papers: From their Inception to the Introduction of Machinery (1924). In addition to her self-taught expertise and historical research, she was a practicing interior decorator and a wallpaper dealer and producer. She both sold wallpapers to and led redecoration projects of historic homes throughout the first half of the twentieth century. Previous studies have examined McClelland’s early career and her contributions to professionalizing interior decorating, yet no major study has focused on McClelland and her wallpapers. McClelland’s career in antiques began in New York City’s Wanamaker’s Department Store where she created the first department for antiques. In 1922, she opened her own decorating firm, Nancy McClelland, Inc., and placed wallpapers at the forefront of her business. In the 1920s, McClelland began selling wallpapers to individuals collecting with future museums in mind. She began providing wallpapers to historic homes and leading redecoration projects, often relying on her knowledge of period decorating practices rather than archival documentation to inform her decisions. McClelland’s career cannot be limited to one word as her many roles influenced each other. Her role as a decorator led her decisions, yet her historical research and knowledge influenced her decorating decisions in historic homes.
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