The Biltmore Industries

In 1901 Eleanor P. Vance, a woodcarver and Charlotte L. Yale moved to a cottage on George W. Vanderbilt's palatial Asheville estate, Biltmore. Neighborhood boys showed interest in Vance's work and soon she was teaching carving classes in her kitchen. Mrs. Vanderbilt also became interested and soon cabinetmaking and metal work were being done on the estate, following Miss Vance's designs.

Mrs. Vanderbilt also became interested in weaving. She introduced sheep to the estate, and a number of women at Biltmore were taught to spin and weave. Her real interest, however, was in the production of clothing fabric that would be similar to that woven in Scotland and Ireland. Mrs. Vanderbilt sent Miss Vance and Miss Yale to the British Isles to study weaving and to bring back an old handloom from Scotland that served as a pattern for the looms used at Biltmore. Eventually these handloms gave way to more modern equipment installed on the grounds of the Grove Park Inn in Asheville. Biltmore Homespun fabric was quite beautiful and was retailed by some of the leading clothing firms in the country.

Biltmore Industries was heavily influenced by the principles of the Arts and Crafts Movement. The medieval appearance of the tall fabric swatch stand and the weaver's chair and stool is in keeping with the dominant furniture style of the Movement.