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.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Sunshine & Shadow pattern, c. 1940
Top: plain-weave, twill-weave and crepe wools as well as rayon. Center blocks are 2"-square, are of startling colors ranging from crimson to orange to pink. Inner border, 4 1/4" wide, is dark green with pink corner blocks. Outer border has two colors: two sides are dark steel-gray blue and two a denim blue. Corner blocks are again of pink. Dark green 1.25" binding.
Back: dark blue woven-stripe sateen-weave cotton.
Quilting: Waffle quilting through center blocks intersects center of each small square. Inner border has "pumpkin seed" 4-petal flowers within open diamonds. Five-petal flower in corner blocks. Outer border has scrolling feathers continued through corner blocks.
Provenance
Unknown provenance, although quilt wason the cover of Jonathan Holstein's book, says Julie Silber. This would indicate a purchase from Holstein.
See existing Esprit condition report. Multiple stains over surface, most noticeable are the strong blue paint(?) stains on opposing sides of steel-gray outer border and on several small squares near quilt center. Additional smaller, lighter stains overall. Fading as evidenced by back of binding.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Sunshine & Shadow pattern, c. 1940
Top: plain-weave, twill-weave and crepe wool. Creative and unusual design of one of the two inner borders that surround the Sunshine & Shadow inner field. Inside inner border uses three narrow strips that are anchored with large corner blocks. Outside inner border is a faded green and outside border is marron.
Backing: Tan plain-weave cotton.
Quilting: Crosshatch in S & S centerfield, scalloped and spiraled double line in triple border, floral motif in green inner border, baskets in outer border that incorporate flowers and spiral double line as decoration.
:
Provenance
Esprit purchased from Stella Rubin on August 13, 1985 for $4,800.
See existing Esprit condition report. Strong, large areas of fading in maroon outer border near 3 different corners, a 1/2-inch faint stain and a 1/2-inch dark spot. The green narrow border has 1-inch water stain and shows random fading all 4 sides and a general fabric deterioration. Backing shows corresponding fading behind narrow green front border. Tiny white spot on binding.
Lancaster Amish Bars quilt, Bars pattern, c. 1940. Square quilt, uncommon for a Bars pattern. The late date of quilt is due to lighter colors and quilting patterns, esp. inner border.
Top: Plain-weave wool and cotton. Varied width of bars is 5.5" - 6.5", four in red and three in turquoise. Inner border of light pink, 4" wide, with pale lavender corner squares. Wide borders of same turquoise as bars. On-inch binding of light red is machine sewn to back, turned and machine sewn to front with black thread; silk on top. Light, thin wool batting.
Back: Blue & white woven-patterned plain-weave cotton. White stripes with octagons are printed on a blue ground. Machine joined in 3 widths.
Quilting: Bars are cross-hatched across the diagonal. Inner border has a closely spaced curved stem with tiny flowers and leaves. Outer border has elongated feather scrolls and pumpkin seed dividers. Small scallops on inner edge.
Initialed "L.S." in cross-stitch with blue cotton floss at back corner.
Provenance
Unknown origin.
Exhibited on wall in Customer Service in Esprit Corp.
Overall washed out appearance. Linnea Davis condition report of 1990: One outer turquoise bar has 3 tiny moth holes. Outer border has 2 moth holes in short outer border and above at corner is another. Also a whitish stain in one side. Front of binding has strong fading and back has pulled areas due to velcro attachment directly to the quilt. Fade marks indicate where the velcro has been removed.
Amish quilt, Ninepatch Variation, circa 1940. Interesting and well-balanced.
Top: Plain-weave, twill-weave and crepe wools. Focal point is 4 matching lighter center blocks. Four outer corner blocks also match. All centerfield patches have coral centers. Blue/purple outer border. Green sashing and green inner border except one side of inner border is brown.
Binding is 1" wide black sateen-weave cotton.
Back: Wine-and-white cotton chambray.
Quilting: Floral vine in outer border (found in later quilts). Cable in sashing and inner border. Waffle in centerfield blocks.
Provenance
Esprit purchased quilt from Mary Strickler Quilts of San Rafael, CA on 12-10-1981 for $4,800.
Issued as U.S. postage stamp, August 9, 2001. (Samples in Esprit file).
