Historic American QuiltsHistoric American Quilts
Early and Mid 19th Century
Quilt tip : Quilts from the early 1800's are hard to find, for obvious reasons. However it is true that fewer quilts were made in this era , and, when they were, they were made by those who could afford to buy imported fabrics. Of course later in the century cotton became plentiful, except during the Civil War.
I must admit to a preference for these century-plus old quilts, and you will find that the prices are a little higher than the less hard-to-find ones.
680 Reel with added leaflets, 1860-1880, 65x74, found in Illinois. The reel is an old, old pattern, the earliest found in 1839 (Florence Peto, "Historic Quilts). This one has triple leaflets that balance the reel when put on point. The background is more tan than the above photos show. The green has small polka dots, and the red is two different Turkey red fabrics.The backing looks homewoven. The partial binding is red and black plaid on the bias; the remaining binding is straight double tan striped. This binding looks like it was the original, because it is more worn, and the quilt is a bit worn adjacent to it. (Bias bindings were used later in the century). The quilting is 4-6st/in in double or triple lines in the reel blocks and double in the sashing, contour around the squares of the cornerstones. Both red and white thread were used. The fabric is rather wrinkled so I believe the quilt was washed and dried too quickly, but that makes the quilting, especially in the sashing, stand out more. There is a slight stain on the front and several on the back. This is a very desirable old quilt with lots of graphic pizzaz. $700
619 Oak Leaf Variation, 1860-1880, 76x86, found in Illinois. Entirely hand pieced (including the triple border and binding!), appliqued and thoroughly expertly quilted. The Turkey red, chrome orange and overdyed green are all in good condition, The complex quilting is at 9st/inch in grids, circles, arcs and double-lined wreaths with cherry-like circles rather than feathers. The backing is white and the binding is green. The applique stitches are so tiny, it is hard to distinguish them. This is quilting in mid-19th century at its finest and compares well to that of the Baltimore Albums in execution. The back has stains, and there is slight foxing and very small brown stains on the front. $1050.
614 Four Patch, 1870-1885, 75x78. This quilt is doubly interesting. It is very graphic and also has some beautiful fabrics. Its yellow-based four-patch rows alternate with several rows of plain indigo and varied four-patches of madder, Lancaster blue, double pink, green with yellow, red with yellow, blue print stripe, etc. etc. The border is a wonderful madder paisley, and the backing alternates Lancaster blue with the same or similar paisley print. The quilting is about 6-7 st/inch in square grids. This is all hand-pieced, including the straight edges of the border and the backing! The binding is worn, some of the patches are netted over, there is at least one small rip repair, and, most unfortunately, the paisley has run in blotches on the backing and on some small areas of the front. Although the photos make the quilts look faded; it is not, the colors are very strong. You/ve got to love this one! $1100
446 Diamond and Squares or Checkerboard, mid 19th century, 66x77, Lancaster, PA, probably Mennonite. This is probably one of the very earliest quilts of the Mennonite or Amish communities. It was formerly in the Marilyn Cavigga collection in California. Blocks in shades of salmon and green and salmon and purple alternate with blocks of a three dimensional striped woven fabric. Two corners have blocks of darker fabrics, and four corners and the binding are covered with triangular pieces of purple twill. The backing is a sparkly blue, black and white floral cotton.
This is all hand pieced, and the quilting is in outline and parallel lines in dark thread at 8 st/in. There are some carefully mended areas and some slight additional wear. $800
381 Nine Patch Hour Glass Variation, 1830-1850, 91x91, Queen, provenance, Maine. This is an extraordinary quilt, kept in the same farm house for over 150 years in the family of Gladys Hasty Carroll, an accomplished author. She lived in South Berwick in the farmhouse that her grandfather had built. The quilts there were made, used and lovingly repaired as needed. Therefore several pieces in this quilt have been replaced in later years, probably in the 19th century.
In Britain, many mid-nineteenth century quilts were put together as patchwork frames around a patchwork or medallion center. This American quilt differs in that the center is on point. The center is composed of nine-patch blocks alternating with blocks of a lovely tan and cranberry print. The frame consists of similar nine-patches that alternate with blocks of a smaller scale print of tan and cranberry. The backing is off-white, and there is a knife edge, another borrowed British custom.
The number and type of vintage fabrics in the nine-patches are too many for this description. There are teals, indigos, madders, pinks, rainbows, indigo and chrome, indigo and cheddar, paisleys, etc. The fabrics are in generally fine condition ( some barely noticeable brown discolorations on the top). The overall clamshell quilting is 7-8 st/in. $2350
670 Single Wedding Ring or Crown of Thorns, ca 1880 prints (possible repros), Missouri. The two red prints in both blocks and sashing add a real punch to this quilt. the background is a shirting print and the backing is a matching striped print. The sashing and border are quilted in diagonals, and the seams of the triangles are quilted on both sides at 10-11 st/in. X's are in the square patches. In excellent condition. If this was made at a much later date than 1880, I apologize, but the quality ,the beauty and the quilting of the quilt make it a fine piece to own.$495
322 Bow Tie, 73x93, ca1880, published in Quilts from America's Heartland, 1994, Fons and Porter. This is a simple pattern, in this case achieving a certain elegance.Various black and white mourning prints alternate in rows with a background of white with black figures. The double black and white border makes the quilt pleasing and complete. This would look fabulous in a room with red walls---or any other strong color for that matter. There is triple-line quilting at 6-7 st/in, which indicates a pre1880 date. (Barbara Brackman, The Quilt Detective:Clues in the Needlework, 2005, digital newsletter.) Thebinding is slightly frayed and there is a small faded spot on the top. I think of Rhapsody in Blue (or black), New York City and cocktail shakers when I ponder this one. $625. Copies of the pages in the magazine will be sent on purchase.
569, Ohio Tulip Applique, about 1850, 69x75, has four signatures in the top. There is tremendous quilting at 8-10 st/in on this piece, probably cooperatively done by the four people who left their signatures on each side (safety pins). The quilting patterns are varied and fun to find. The Turkey red is fading a bit, and the over dyed green is yellowish on the top, but has turned blue on the binding. The binding is slightly worn. This is very clean and is an excellent example of the workmanship of the mid-19th century. $690
537 Wild Goose Chase, 80x90, mid 19th century. A red print with white and black figures makes up the triangles of the "geese" in the sashing. This fabric has some popping but is intact. The triple border has a different red print with tiny figures surrounded by black. After washing this, the quilt is much whiter than the above photos and the two central brown storage spots have faded, but the border fabric has worn through in many places. The white blocks are filled with quilting at 9-10 st/in in wreaths filled with diagonal lines. The corners are also filled with diagonal lines, and the borders have double diagonals. The binding is made from two different brown and tan prints, which show a great deal of wear. It is all hand pieced including the triple border. If you'd like a real piece of the past, this will do. Just think of all it has gone through, including maybe the Civil War. $625
613 Caesar's Crown with serpentine sashing, mid 19th century, 80x84. The red, yellow and blue-green floral stripe print gives away the age of this beautiful quilt. The serpentine sashing is appliqued in teeny tiny stitches as are the stylized flowers and leaves. There are two fabrics which are blue-green; one has a small white figure, the other is solid. As can be seen in the photo above, some of the Turkey red is wearing, but it does not detract from the overall effect. The backing is white and the binding is slightly worn Turkey red. Even the double border is hand pieced , of course, as is the binding.The quilting is in double lines and contours at 9-10 st/inch. This fine quilt has a real touch of class. $1350
620, Chained Five-Patch or Irish Chain, mid 19th century, 88x92 . A lovely old quilt with lots of work involved; it's all hand pieced. Green and red prints are used throughout, with white background. The backing is white and comes around to the front to form the binding. There is an inner border of green sawteeth, a 10-inch-wide white middle border and red and white sawteeth on the outer border.The quilting at 7-8 st/in is in double feather wreaths in the white blocks, diagonals and vees within the pattern patches. There is a double sinuous feather wreath in the white border. The black and white polka dots in the red fabric have either popped or are about to pop, the colors are slightly faded, and there is slight foxing on the top. There is a very thin batting. A classic of the mid century! $850
621 Old Fashioned Star, age ?, 79x82, Illinois. Look at this quilting---all double everything 1/4-inch apart! Not an inch unquilted! In addition, the stars are perfectly handpieced as are the sawteeth in the inner border. Brackm,an (Barbara Brackman, The Quilt Detective: Clues in the Needlework, 2005, digital newsletter) states that "close quilting lines, less than 3/4 of an inch apart is generally before 1880". So this quilt may well be 19th century. The condition is inordinately good, but there is just very slight foxing on the top. The backing is white and comes around to the front as binding. The pictures speak to the excellence of this quilt. $1050
526 Nine Patch, ca 1880, 72x72, Pennsylvania. This cheerful country quilt is composed of blues, browns, greens, rusts and double pinks from the late 19th century. A green and yellow print is the binding, and the tan print is the backing. The quilting is 5-6 st/in in contours and diagonal lines in the sashing. The quilt is in very good condition. This probably could kick-start your day. $400
511, Bud and Vine, ca1880, Md., 62x82 A red and teal applique on white in an unusual pattern made in blocks. I have only seen another similar quilt that was made in 1850. One corner has smaller applique pieces. The quilting is in contours and chevrons at 6-7 st/in. The backing is white and the binding is a separate white piece. There is some slight wear in the Turkey red. Otherwise the quilt is in excellent condition. This is a very lovely Eastern Seaboard quilt. $825
169 Rose Applique with Oak Leaf. 1850-1890, 69x69, Signed "JH" and "PR". The leaves are a still-vibrant green, while the centers are a sand-yellow. The quilting is exceptional , at 8 st/in, with double and triple lines, ferns and wreaths. The applique stitching is 12 stitches/inch. The batting is thin and very worn, but the quilt is sparkling white and clean. This is an exceptional and unusual piece of workmanship from well over a century ago and would make a beautiful wall-hanging on a dark wall. $750
464 Double Nine Patch, ca 1860-70, 62x78. This Civil War era quilt may indeed have been through that conflict. It was found in Idaho, though. Burgundy and white prints and white make up the postage-sized patches and lay against a background of cocoa. The border is a darker shade of cocoa. There is a muslin backing brought over to the front to form the binding. The double diagonal quilting is about 8st/in. The patches are hand-pieced but the binding looks to be treadle stitched. The cocoa colors may be home-dyed. There is slight wear in the fabrics but a quilt with this age and who-knows-what-story is allowed some wear, don't you think? $750.
208 Hexagon (also several Flower Garden names), 1880-1910, 76x88. Pennsylvania. This hexagon pattern was popular in the 19th century as well as in the 20th century, where it was known as the Flower Garden pattern of the depression era. This piecing was NOT done on paper templates as some ealier hexagon quilts were, but it is hand pieced. Madder prints are in some of the "flowers" as well as on the binding. Turkey red, and blue, green and yellow prints and double pinks are included in this lively quilt. The quilting is very dense, in overall arcs at 6-7 stitches/inch. The backing is solid peachy tan coarse muslin with several discolorations. There are a few discolorations on the top (lower right photo) but they are not obvious. The narrow binding is a bit worn, and the quilt is of medium heavy weight. If you like graphic quilts and authentic old fabrics, you would enjoy this piece because it has both, and uses a palette far removed from what we think of as "Flower Garden". It will really brighten up a wall. $750
536 Nine Patch with Cheater Cloth Back, 70x78 with two 7-inch cutouts, ca 1870-80, Lake George, New York. The colors of the nine-patch are more intense than in the photo. The sashing is double pink vermiculite print, and the background of each nine-patch is brown on white or tan sprigs. The binding is also that latter print. The patches are madder prints, stripes, plaids, turkey red, brown, mint green and mauve. The cotton fabrics are closely woven and silky to the touch. The backing is an orientally inspired cheater print, made by the Cocheco factory. Prints like these were made in the Eastern US between 1876 and 1890 and very popular..The quilting is 8st/in in straight lines and contours. There are some brown discolorations, but they blend into the fabrics' patterns very easily. My impression is that this quilt was made with an eye toward using the latest of fabric fashions at the time, and it is lovely. The binding is worn, but the other fabrics are firm. $750
486 Cactus Basket or Desert Rose, ca 1880-1900, 70x82. Red vermiculite lightning streaks act as sashing. The baskets are made with a variety of vintage prints. The theme is rigidly kept, however, of double pink blooms, green leaves and dark print baskets against various figural white fabrics. This is hand-pieced and quilted at 7st/in, in the ditch. There are a few discolorations but the fabric is excellent. The backing and binding are candy striped red and white cotton. The photo suggests fading but this is just the photography and light and shadow. This is a lovely and graphic quilt with plenty of interesting fabrics. $800
499 Stylized Petals, Appliqued and Pieced, 88x72, 1860-80. This delicate quilt of unusual pattern displays interesting monochromatic prints of the third quarter of the 19th century. The double pink sashing surrounds the motifs on point , and double pink borders the top and bottom. The binding is white as is the background. The quilting is innovative with concentric circles in the blocks and parallel lines elsewhere. There are a few discolorations on the top. This is all hand pieced and hand-bound. A very lightweight quilt that would look super in a feminine bedroom. $550
379 Turkey Tracks Applique, 1875-1880, 72x83 with 9x9.5 cutouts at bottom, leaving a 52 inch bed width, provenance, Maine, estate of Gladys Hasty Carroll. This is a real beauty. A red with yellow print forms the turkey track blocks and contrasts with alternate white blocks. The quilting is superb at 8-9 st/in. in echo quilting around and within the pattern. In the white blocks there are triple rectangles and simple flowers. Triple line quilting runs across the quilt, indicating an 1880 or earlier date.The binding is white, and the edge is somewhat undulating, whether on purpose or due to the shape of the pattern is not known. The backing is coarse muslin. The quilt is in excellent condition, with a few almost invisible repairs to fabric tears. A beautiful classic and graphic quilt for your tester bed. $1000
383 Diamond in a Square, 1860-80, 60x62, provenance, Maine. Gladys Hasty Carroll estate. Shades of brown, tan, madders, pinks, grays, etc. fill the double diamond in squares blocks, and the wide sashing is gray and fawn cobblestone print. Yet, more British influence. The batting is rather thick, and the quilt is tied with 6-ply gray yarn. The backing is a small scale tan stripe with red that has been replaced on two edges with a much more modern large scale and, frankly, grotesque ca 1920 fabric. This has been brought around to form a binding. It appears that the quilt, or rather, comforter, was cut down to cut off worn pieces. The other two ends are knife edges. There is a lot of fabric wear on both front and back, but the piece is by no means in tatters. As is, it makes a fascinating and pretty wall hanging, with a nice history. $450
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