All cotton quilt of large blocks, each with white ground and floral applique done with "broderie Perse" technique. Wreath designs alternate with clustered floral sprays. Blocks have sashing and border using a green floral print in a Maryland Stairstep design. Wide outer border of white ground is filled with same floral applique technique, but arranged in an undulating line. A final narrow outer border uses the same green Maryland Stairstep design. White cotton backing is brought forward and hand stitched to make binding.
Has a wide range of hand quilting done with white thread in center blocks: wreaths, various flowers, potted plants, leaves, lattice, parallel diagonals and a grid. Outer white border is filled with a pattern of tiny fans.
Tradition states quilt was started in 1795 and took two generations to finish, circa 1830.
Provenance
File notes "Presented by Mr. Harry Hostetter for Mrs. A.K. Hostetter" (Ida L. Kegerreis Hostetter)
Areas of bad fading,especially along border, a variety of stains including large liquid stains, soiling, white paint drips, and various holes and deteriorated fabric. Appliqued chintz in some center blocks is badly deteriorated with strong losses, especially 3 of the blocks and at one end.
Quilt, Bars w/ Nine Patch Variation. Centerfield has 7 bars 10.5-11.5" wide; 4 have 9 Patch design, on point, and 3 have unpieced chintz. Chintz has aqua background with baskets of yellow and red, and flowers & leaves of teal, white, red, and yellow. Outer border, 10.5" wide, is royal blue and white with rows of blue bells and ferns.
Hand quilted with white thread using a grid pattern. Bound by joining back and front together at edge with running stitch. White coarse cotton back is 3 panels.
Quilt of cotton has 9-Patch pattern blocks on point. Sashing separates the 9-patch blocks. All white except the 5 patches of printed cottons in each 9-patch block. Print colors include red, brown, tan, pink, white, yellow and blue. Narrow outer border is 3.5" wide. Cotton batting. Very narrow binding is the white back rolled around to front and hand stitched.
Hand quilted in white thread. Undulating feather throughout border, cable in all sashing and unusual, large, 4-leaf motif in 9-patch block has oval leaves extending from center print into the 4 corner prints.
Side-by-side Inscriptions in one corner are "JO4" (?) handwritten in ink and "K214" stamped. Likely owners' marks.
Overall wear and fading. Deterioration to many of the cotton prints, with small holes, large holes and strong losses. Blood stain with hole is 3/4" in size. Scattered dark stains on top and especially on back that have appearance of foxing. Several sections along quilt edge - front and back - have dye transfer from a printed fabric caused by moisture.
Baskets pattern quilt made by Amish woman Sarah Stoltzfus (b. 6/17/1923), circa 1939 when she would have been about 16 years old. This pattern is very unusual among the Lancaster Amish.
Pieced wool top blocks on point. Pink baskets of crepe rayon(?) on a field of green alternate with turquoise-blue blocks. Wide border of green and a binding of turquoise blue, turned front to back. Back is a blue cotton print with white dots. Cotton batting.
Hand quilted in black running stitch. Border has vining flowers, tied with a bow in corners. Turquoise blocks have an unusual circle fringed with triangle points and a triple-line cross within dividing it into quadrants. Basket blocks have cable, shell and parallel lines as well as a basket "handle."
Made by Sarah Stoltzfus for herself to go to housekeeping. Her mother chose the pattern from her sister and neighbor Katie Smoker Glick (wife of "Red John" Glick) and also purchased the fabric in stores in Intercourse and New Holland. Sarah's parents were John P. Stoltzfus and Amanda L. Smoker Stoltzfus. Sarah did all the piecing and most of the quilting w/ perhaps some help from her sister.
Note: This quilt is very similar to two other quilts (owned by Trish Herr and Jay & Susan Leary).
RD#1 Millwood Rd., Gap, PA 17527, Salisbury Twp.
Provenance
Sold by maker in 1988 to Tom Wentzel of Lititz, a dealer, who sold to M. Finkel & Daughter, dealers on Pine St. in Phila. (all transactions occurred in the same year). See 2004 fieldwork notes of Rachel Pellman.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern. Machine assembled and hand quilted.
Top: Plain-weave and crepe wool and rayon. Rust red diamond of wool in a Williamsburg blue square; two inner borders (one on diamond and one around square) of the same shiny crepe rayon and red corner blocks. Green wool outer border with Williamsburg blue corner blocks of crepe wool. (Herr notes that the blue fabric in the corner blocks varies from that of the inner borders. Binding is rust red and machine sewn to both back and front.
Back: green plain-weave cotton, machine-joined in three widths.
Quilting: Done in black thread. Diamond has a large repeating star within wreath and a floral or butterfly motif in each corner. Both narrow borders have grapevine pattern. Four triangular blocks of square have a large branching rose & tulip in each, with scallop on all edges. Outer green borders have a vining flower extending into corners to form tied bows.
Herr writes: "The rather stiff open floral quilting patterns seen here are associated with later quilts. One sees more geometric densely quilted flowing patterns in earlier examples."
Provenance
Esprit purchased May 1984 from Phyllis Haders for $9,000.
Vibrant colors but LARGE, HEAVY liquid staining esp. within the triangular blocks.
Quilt report by conservator Linnea S. Davis in 1990 states condition is excellent, almost new. Says batt may have substantial natural oils affecting color of backing. She does note "very faint" blue-green rings from moisture or wool oils within 3 color triangles in turquoise; also 3 tiny white paint spots within inner border.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern. Machine assembled and hand quilted with black cotton thread in a fine, even manner consistent with the early date of c.1910.
Top: Twill-weave wool, three colors (brown, turquoise and purple) & three borders. Binding is machine joined strips, sewn by machine to back and front.
Back: Black-and white woven-pattern cotton flannel, with white "streaking" achieved with white warp threads. An initial "J" embroidered in red is found in one corner of back.
Quilting: Large feather wreath in diamond with cross-hatching inside; border has pumpkin seed florets within a geometric diamond pattern, and a flower in each corner block. Triangles have double-quilted flower motifs flanking a fruit-filled basket. Border of square has pumkin seed florets within the same diamond pattern as previous border. Outer border has tightly scrolling feathers.and corners have a circular wreath filled with cross-hatching.
Provenance
Purchased from Phyllis Habers in May 1984 for $9,000.
Condition report/sketch done by volunteer Aug. 2010. Condition report by Linnea Davis, 1990, states "Excellent to VG. Faded overall. Some small areas of abrasion (moth). Previous hoes with wax residue around sides at back, due to mounting with waxed cord." Fading most significant at outer border, with streaking.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern w/ Sunshine and Shadow variation, stitched "E S" and "1943", although date stitching now removed. Evidence of this late date are the lighter colors and the use of rayon and crepe fabrics.
Top: Plain-weave and crepe wool and rayon. Center diamond has multi-color S & S squares on purple ground; red triangles in square; inner border of purple and outer border of medium blue. No corner blocks. Binding is blue.
Back: Blue plain-weave cotton.
Quilting is well executed and traditional for this late date. Crosshatching in centerfield. Inner border has loosely meandering flowery vine. Outer border has feather scrolls with two double-line stars centered at each side.
Script initials stitched at center of one outer border are "E S", indicating maker or more likely the recipient. Flanking the lower adjacent star is evidence of the now-removed stitching of the date "1943".
Provenance
Esprit purchased from America Hurrah Antiques of NYC, April 14, 1980 for $4,800
Condition report by student intern E. Miller, 7/18/13. Multiple blue marks around outer border. Several small holes in inner border and one at edge of purple in center diamond. Wide borders are splotchy with fading. Reverse has several large liquid stains and significant areas of fading/ discoloration.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern w/ Sunshine and Shadow variation, c. 1940. Unusual features, especially the one outer border of plum fabric that has no corner blocks. Open quilting style based on rose patterns suggests a later date than for most of the quilts in this collection.
Top: Plain- and twill-weave wool. Dark multi-colored diamond of S & S blocks uses turquoise, brown, purple and plum. Triangles are blue and inner border is reddish brown with blue corner blocks. Outer borders are blue?? with only two plum corner blocks. One entire side is made of the plum fabric! Binding is black.
Back: Two halves of different cottons: each a blue-and-white printed plain-weave. One is a busy pattern of diamonds and the other is a more subdued pattern. Small-scale printed B & W and Blue & W fabrics were often used in comination as backs of Lancaster County Amish quilts.
Quilting is not dense. Crosshatch in S & S center; a variety of unusual stylized roses & tulips in all other areas.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from Holsteins on 6-12-1986 for $10,000.
Condition report by student intern E. Miller, 7/18/13, shows repair to outer seam of center diamond. Several small holes within outer border. Reverse has two brown stains near one side. Quilt does not hang well. See also Esprit condition reports.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Sunshine & Shadow pattern, circa 1940. Herr states: "The predominant use of cotton and rayon over wool in this quilt suggests a date close to 1940, when fine woolen fabrics previously used in Lancaster Co. Amish quilts were becoming less available..."
Top: plain-weave rayon, cotton and wool. Center square contains S & S pattern composed of 1 1/2 - 1 5/8" blocks with some very unusual color choices: red pink and maroon in adjacent blocks as well as 2 white blocks in place of lavender ones. The 4" inner border is light pink cotton as are the corner blocks. The 10 1/2" outer border is a raspberry colored rayon. The 1" binding is a dusty rose.
Back: blue-and-white woven-check (miniscule scale) of plain-weave cotton.
Quilting: Basket motif in outer border quilted with black thread. Pink thread (unusual choice for Amish) is used in the undulating floral vine of inner border and 3-flowered motif of corners. The single top center flower (tulip?) of the corner block motifs is repeated in the baskets.
Provenance
Purchased by Esprit from unknown vendor in June 1977 for $3,525, one of the first Amish quilts in Tompkins' collection.
Condition problems with fading, but especially extensive staining: variety of light & dark liquids and spatters & spills. Stains very evident within borders, although they extend into center area blocks as well. See condition reports by Esprit as well as Miller & Zercher, 8-1-2013.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Sunshine & Shadow pattern, c. 1940. Machine pieced squares form a diamond. Quilt quite heavy.
Top: Plain-and twill-weave wool, crepes, cotton, and rayon. The use of many cotton & rayon fabrics suggest a later date of c. 1940. Centerfield uses black fabric. Inner border is dark turquoise w/ dark red corner squares. Outer border is dark plum with maroon corner squares. Green binding machine sewn to front, turned & whip-stitched to back.
Back: Brown, pink and white printed plain-weave cotton. Unusual backing fabric.
Signed 'Samantha or Samuel Zook' according to conservator Linnea Davis. (Apparently hidden under velcro).
Quilting: Hand quilted with black thread. Cross-hatched centerfield. Inner border has slightly undulating vine of roses & leaves. Outer border has a similar rose motif which circles & repeats along the border. Leaves are more complex. Maroon corner squares have roses tied by a bow. This rose quilting also suggests a later date.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from the Holsteins, June 12, 1986, for $9,000.
