Sound condition with expected areas of soil and stains, some fairly large liquid stains and multiple small brown stains. Acid burn along fold lines of back.
Object ID
2021.043.001
Place of Origin
East Petersburg, East Hempfield Twp.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Unfinished hexagonal pieced quilt top. 7 large hexagons (15.5-inch sides) with star-shaped patterns of small 1.25-inch-sided hexagons, 12 per side. One large hexagon is loose/ not yet sewn into the larger piece. Small hexagons were stitched around heavy paper forms cut from advertisements/ "Lancaster" is printed on one.All outer-edge small hexagons still have the paper forms in them. Central section shows was. Fascinating variety of cotton fabrics, plain & prints; shirtings. Dating from different periods, maybe late 1800's to late 1920's.
Year Range From
1890
Year Range To
1920
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 4
Storage Cabinet
Unit 19
Storage Shelf
Shelf 4
Storage Container
Box 0047
Object Name
Quilt
Length (cm)
193.04
Length (ft)
6.3333333333
Length (in)
76
Width (cm)
172.72
Width (ft)
5.6666666667
Width (in)
68
Dimension Details
These measurements are not precise.
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2023-11-27
Condition Notes
Unfinished; cardboard/heavy paper patterns are still in outer edge hexagons.
Unfinished pieces 8-pointed star quilt top. Variety of brightly-colored cotton prints form 8-pointed stars with white muslin square centers. Machine-peiced, 5 blocks across and 7 blocks along lenght. Each star block is roughly 8 x 8 inches. A 2.5-inch border of a pink prints is sewn as the outer edge.
Crazy quilt constructed of primarily silk fabrics. No middle layer, Chain stitched using various colored threads. Backing made of Pillsbury Company flour bags. Made by Sarah Ann Huber and her daughter.
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 is a Center Square pattern, c. 1920. Notable because of added corner blocks. Although Center Square pattern is considered early, the usd of turquoise, the added corner blocks and the simpler and less fluid quilting patterns suggest a later date.
Top: Plain- and twill-weave wool. Turquoise inner border makes a striking tonal statement, making the quilt much brighter than the previous three.
Back: Black-and-white plain-weave cotton chambray (a pain-weave cotton having warp and weft threads of different colors, in this case, black and white). Chambray is frequently used as backing for Amish quilts.
Quilting: Center if filled with waffle pattern. Inner border has cable with a 7-petal flower at each corner, a later and less common inner border pattern. Outer border has basket quilting (usually associated with the 1920s and 30s). These baskets appear to be fruit-filled with coiled handles, creating a more interesting pattern than mere basket outlines. Corners have fine wreath quilting.
Near Peach Bottom, southern end of Lancaster County
Provenance
Esprit purchased from the Holsteins for $10,000 on 6-12-80. Robert Bishop writes that the quilt came from a farm near Peach Bottom in southern Lancaster County (Amish: The Art of the Quilt).
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern, circa 1925.
Top: plain- and twill-weave wools. Maroon center diamond and turquoise triangles. Inner border of the same maroon. Outer border of gray-blue. Red binding is 1 1/2" wide. (The turquoise wool dates from the 1920s or later.)
Back: plain-weave cotton with a gray-and-white twill-print. Two different fabrics joined; a narrow strip of darker print was used along one edge. This type of fabric is commonly used on backs.
Quilting: Diamond has a large feather wreath with large 8-point star centered within with 8 additional small stars surrounding star. Outside corners have a grape-and-leaf design and outer edges are lined with a row of scallops. Turquoise triangles of square have a rose and tulip branch pattern (normally seen on later quilts). Inner border has "pumpkin seed" flowers within a diamond pattern. Outer border has scrolling feather motif with a pair of 8-point stars centered at two sides only. A row of scallops lines inner edge.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from Phyllis Haders for $9,000 in May of 1984.
See file for Esprit condition report for details: small moth holes and worn areas. Additional holes/worn areas noted. Also light stains scattered over surface. Back has some large areas of light brown stain.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern, circa 1925.
Top: all twill-weave wools. Red diamond is on a square of dark blue. Both diamond and square have a narrow border (3 3/4" wide) of the same purple. Dark blue binding is 1 1/4" wide.
Back: Black sateen-weave cotton, four pieced panels.
Batting: Many sections of wool batt laid side by side, causing visual and textural changes to the front fabrics.
Quilting: Diamond has large feather wreath with an 8-pointed star centered within and double-stitched foliate motif in outside corners. Triangles of center square have branching tulip-and-rose design. Both inner borders have the same triple-stitched cable motif and 10-petal flowers in corners. Outer border has curving feather design with additional feather strips filling in where possible. A row of scallops are on inner edge, next to inner border.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from Bettie Mintz of Bethesda, MD in Feb. 1984 for $9,500.
Issued as U.S. postage stamp, August 9, 2001. (Samples in Esprit file). Featured on cover of Esprit book "Amish: The Art of the Quilt."
See file for Esprit condition report for details: small moth holes and worn areas. Additional holes/worn areas noted. Also light stains scattered over surface. Back has some large areas of light brown stain.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern, c. 1925. This classic wool quilt is pieced from a pleasing selection of intense colors that might have been used earlier in the century, but the rose motif quilting suggests a date of mid-1920s or later.
Top: Plain-and twill-weave wool. Diamond of light red (24" square) has narrow purple border and outside the turquoise center square is another purple border. Wide outer border of deep red. Binding of gray-blue is 1 1/4" wide. It has machine stitching with white thread on front.
Back: Printed plain-weave cotton is maroon with tiny white motifs.
Quilting: Within a large feather wreath is a large center 8-pointed star surrounded by 8 smaller stars. Corners outside wreath have floral quilting. Triangles of square have a branching tulip and rose motif. Both inner borders have a grapevine pattern not common until the late 1920s and 1930s. Outer border has usual feather quilting that is less dense than usual, so additional floral device helps to fill in space: two small 9-petal flowers are stitched between feather ends at the center of each side of outer border.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from Edward Brown of San Francisco for $5,200 on April 7, 1981.
See file for Esprit condition report. A 1/2-inch patched hole on wide red border is near center area. Many small, scattered stains and soil are especially visible in turquoise triangle and red outer border. Scattered small holes on front and back of binding. Prominent dark liquid stain on backing.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern. Design of quilt is less complex than most (no outer corner blocks), suggesting a later date. Large size also supports a later date. The quilting is not dense.
Top: Plain-and crepe-weave wool. Red diamond with turquoise narrow border within a square of green triangular blocks having a turquoise narrow border and gray corner blocks (unusual light color choice for Lancaster Co. Amish). Outside border of green. Blue binding.
Back: Blue plain-weave polished cotton.
Quilting: Hand quilted in black thread, without the normal dense patterns. Unusual floral wreath in center diamond; pumpkin seed flowers in both narrow borders including gray corner blocks; 3-branching rose motif in triangles of square; good conventional feather scrolling in outer borders.
Provenance
Esprit purchased on 6-12-1986 from the Holsteins for $9,000.
Numerous holes/tears mended on binding at one corner and one within outside border. Multiple light stains or soil. Reverse has faded/bleached strip with accretion and a circular liquid stain.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern, c. 1925
Top: plain-weave wools. Center diamond of purple is on a square of red triangles. The inner border repeats the same purple with corners of the same red. The outer border is a muted medium blue with corners of the same red. The binding is very dark green.
Back: blue-and-white plain-weave cotton chambray.
Quilting: Diamond has a large feather wreath encircling a multiple-line 6-point star within and unusual 3-branching flower with 6-petal blooms outside in each corner. Triangles of center square have branching rose and tulip motif. Inner border has "pumpkin seed" flowers within a diamond pattern. Corners have a ring of four tulip-like flowers. The four sides of the outer border each have four S-scrolled feathers with a C-scroll at each end. Corners have a well-executed compote of fruit.
Former label: "Wool absorbs dyes in an especially concentrated way, providing Lancaster Amish women with their particular lush palette. They characteristically balanced large, starkly geometric designs with elaborate, curvilinear quilting designs. While all of the quilting designs on this fine Diamond are from the standard repertoire, they have been selected from the fanciest end of the spectrum. Notice, especially, the floral urns in the large red squares."
Provenance
Esprit purchased from Kiracofe and Kile of San Francisco for $6,000 on June 9, 1981.
See existing Esprit condition report for numerous clusters of small moth holes and some soil. Most significant moth holes are in blue outer border, many of them about 1/8 inch dia. In addition are two 1" to 1.5" smears of light liquid soil near center of diamond.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern, c. 1925.
Top: plain-weave wools except for twill wool binding. Center diamond is dark blue henrietta cloth, once used in the maker's dress.** Center square is gray; inner corner is salmon with light red corner blocks; outer border is purple(?) with blue corners. The 1-1/4-inch binding is heavy blue twill.
Back: green twill-weave cotton flannel.
Quilting: Large feather wreath in diamond with waffle interior and unusual double-stitched floral motif in corners. The triangles of the inner square have a branching rose-and-tulip motif with double-stitched stems; also included are two small poorly spaced stars filling in a few corners, flanking two opposing points of the center diamond (4 total). Inner border has pumpkin seed flowers surrounded by a diamond pattern. Corner blocks have a 5-petal flower. Outer border has scrolling feather pattern with a small flower added in each corner.
String tag, now removed, states quilt was frozen 05/12/92.
**Esprit book (Amish: Art of the Quilt) quilt caption claims that the maker's daughter recalled the fabric of the center diamond as "the dark blue from my mother's dress." (No maker's name, however) The label continues: "The Lancaster Amish use the term "henrietta" to describe a variety of fabrics, but it usually refers to the fine wools they favor for their quilts. Lancaster quilts are most often square and symmetrically arranged, almost always ranging from 72 to 88 inches square."
Provenance
Esprit purchased from the Holsteins for $8,500 on June 12, 1986.
Existing Esprit condition report details various stains, fading, very fragile fraying in center blue, etc. Highly significant, visible problems such as (1)shredded, fraying areas of blue center (2) orange stains of large corner block and (3) large area of fading within outer border, lighter stains in dark areas.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern, circa 1925, embroidered initials "IL." Lively combination of the typical Amish palette.
Top: plain- and twill-weave wool. Blue-green diamond with dark red inner border has purple corner blocks. Triangles of square are nearly olive green. Inner border, 4" wide, is wine red with purple corner blocks. Outer border is blue-green with wine red corners. Binding is dark purple, 1 1/2" wide.
Back: blue plain-weave cotton. Initialed "IL" in pink cotton cross stitch in corner, similar to the following quilt.
Quilting: Diamond has a large feather wreath filled with a large, multilined 8-point star. Outside corners have "pumpkin seed" designs. Border of diamond has undulating grape and leaf motif. Triangles of center square have the branching rose and tulip motif and the inner border repeats the grape and leaf motif of the previous inner border. Outer border is filled with scrolling feather design extending through corner blocks.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from Edward Brown of San Francisco on July 9, 1881 for $5,300.
See existing Esprit condition report for one 1/4" tear near binding and stains/soil. Additional dark brown stains noted near above hole in outer border, as well as tiny hole alongside above hole. Long tide lines of light brown liquid stains throughout one side of back indicate liquid.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern, initialed "VK", c. 1930. Large, square quilt, machine assembled. Pleasing combination of six colors with fine hand quilting.
Top: plain-and twill-weave wools. Center diamond of red has a narrow border of turquoise with olive-green corners. Dark purple twill of the center square also has a narrow inner border that repeats the same turquoise & green of the first inner border. Outer border of blue has pink corners. Hand-finished purple binding, one inch wide, machine sewn to front and turned and whip-stitched to back..
Back: Light pink, plain-weave cotton, sewn from four panels. Initialed "VK" in red cross-stitched cotton, back corner, similar to the previous quilt.
Quilting: Done in black cotton thread. Red center diamond has 3-ring feather wreath with double-outlined 8-point star centered within; tiny single feather wreath in corners. Both inner borders have the same meandering 5-petal flower & stem motif (instead of more common grapevine motif). Deep purple triangles of inner center square has waffle motif. Outer border has densely scrolled feather motif that extends through corner blocks.
See existing Esprit condition report. Pink corner squares quite faded. Very noticeable dark brown liquid spots/drips scattered over quilt. Backing has several dark yellowish-brown spots and a liquid stain in one corner.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern, initialed "LK", c. 1935. Herr notes the more open quilting patterns compared to the previous one suggests a later date.
Top: plain-and twill-weave wool. Unusually wide binding of 2"
Back: multicolor twill-weave cotton. Initialed "LK" in red cotton outline stitch along back corner edge of quilt, along binding.
Quilting patterns: Stitched with brown thread instead of the usual black. Center diamond has a large, beefy, multi-line, 8-point star, encircled by a wreath, with pumpkin seed florets filling the corners. Inner border has grape motif. Center square has the three branching flower with a rose at center and tulips at sides. Scalloping along outside of inner border. Outer border has scrolling feather throughout.
Provenance
Provenance: Esprit purchased from Kiracofe and Kile in San Francisco for $6,000 on Nov. 11, 1983.
See condition report of 7/17/13 by volunteer Emily Jones. Various light stains across quilt with several small holes at several places along perimeter. Also some fraying and fading.
Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square, quilted in corner by machine is "JTP" over "1921." Unusual characteristics indicate Mifflin Co. Amish origin or influence (overall proportions, quilting patterns, narrow binding, two inner borders, rounded corners and other construction details). However, Diamond in the Square pattern is usually associated with Lancater County.
Top is plain-weave wool. Central blue diamond on a green square. Unusual feature is two inner borders of equal width (5 1/4"), first is reddish-brown with green corners and the next is blue with green corners. (Equal width inner borders is another characteristic of Mifflin Co.) Outer border (9 1/2" wide) is of reddish-brown with green corners.
Back is blue plain-weave cotton chambray. Blue binding is only 3/4" wide (standard Lanc. Co. width is 1 1/2" - 2").
Quilting: large feather wreath in diamond, along with diapering and some scalloping. Green square (corners) has half wreaths infilled with clamshell and diaper patterns. First inner border has clamshell, second inner border has unusual 8-scroll motif and outer border has meandering feather infilled with clamshell (including corners). Green corner blocks of both inner borders have a single pinwheel.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from America Hurrah in July 1985 for $4,500.
See condition report of 7/17/13 by intern Emily Jones. Dark liquid stains, esp. in one outer border and corner block with initials/date. Bleeding likely caused by an attempt to clean corner block stain. Center diamond has a couple lighter stain/soil areas. One outer border has small areas of light staining/bleaching. Binding is faded, soiled with wear.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern w/ Sunshine and Shadow variation, c. 1935. Unusual features.
Top: plain- and twill-weave wool. Multi-color S&S blocks including black. Unusual use of small blocks set on point, not on square; this renders visual patterns of large squares instead diamonds. Red triangles within square, teal inner border, forest green outer border. No corner blocks. Binding of teal?
Back: Black-and-white woven-pattern cotton; this fabric commonly used as backing on Lancaster Amish quilt backs.
Quilting: Crosshatching in centerfield; 3-branch roses in red corner triangles, loosely meandering grapevine in inner border (leaving lots of empty space); unusual rose wreath pattern in outer border.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from America Hurrah in Jan. of 1983 for $8,500.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern w/ Sunshine and Shadow variation, c. 1935.
Top: Plain- and twill-weave wool and cotton. Multi-color center diamond with S & S pattern has its own border with corner blocks. Quilt colors are green, pink, blue, red, grape and gray. Triangles are pale blue with scalloping along edge of center diamond; inner border of red with green corner blocks. Outer borders are grape color with gray corner blocks. Binding is red
Back: Handsome blue and red plain-weave printed cotton: small red motifs on blue ground
Quilting: Crosshatch S & S area; braided or cable pattern in green border with stars in corner blocks; 3-branch rose and tulip motif in triangles; flowers and vines in inner border with flower in corner blocks; outer border and corner blocks are filled with handsome baskets overflowing with fruit. Handles and rims are braided, repeating the same braiding of the green inner border.
Condition report done 7/13 by student intern E. Miller shows fading, streaks, stains scattered over the inner large triangles. One mended hole. Batting emerging through fabric throughout outer border. Significant fading in green fabric. Two places of seam separation within S & S blocks. See also Esprit condition reports.
Amish quilt with Diamond in the Square, Sunshine & Shadow Variation pattern. Classic colors and well-balanced arrangement of jewel-toned fabrics epitomized the look of Amish quilts desired by most connoiseurs. In addition to the multicolored center, the maker used 7 colors and added every possible border and corner block.
Top: Plain- and twill-weave wool. Multi-color S & S area has deep purple, blue, red and green with light rows in shades of pink (no black). Emerald green triangles. Inner border of red with emerald green corners. Binding of emerald green, machine sewn to top, turned and carefully whip-stitched to back with tiny stitches in black thread.
Back: purple sateen twill-weave cotton with stripes similar to damask. Machine joined in many pieces
Quilting: Elaborately quilted with black thread in tiny stitches. Crosshatch S & S area, large green triangles have particularly fluid branching tulips that fill the space well, with scalloped edge along center diamond; red inner border has grape vine done with veins, serrations and tiny tendrils, scalloped along outside edge and a flower in corner blocks. Undulating floral vines in outer border and corner blocks fill the space well.
Northern Lancaster County
Provenance
Esprit purchased from Jonathan Holstein 6/12/86 for $9,000. Quilt was reportedly purchased from an Amish family living in northern Lancaster County near the Lebanon Co. line.
One of six Esprit quilts chosen as a National Treasure by the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2007. This was part of their "Picturing America" project whose aim was to tell the story of America through its art.
Small white spot in corner block of inner border. Back has dark spots and streaking, with significant color loss and fading. Small 1 cm. snag on backing with nearby circular area of about 8 my. having tiny white specks. At opposite side is 2 mm. hole.
Condition report done 7/18/13 by student intern E. Miller and one by Linnea Davis in 1990.
Quilt, Diamond in the Square, Philadelphia Pavement variation pattern, c. 1935, made by Fanny Petersheim in her later years. Rayon fabrics were not commonly used by the Lancaster Co. Amish until the later 1930s. The large size of the quilt also suggests a later date. No corner blocks in quilt. Phila. Pavement design has an unusual arrangement of blocks, creating a visually exciting quilt. It is a combination of innovating block arrangement and an older traditional pattern.
Top: Plain- and twill-weave and crepe wool and rayon. Pavement pattern squares vary from 1.5 to 1.75 inches; often pieced imperfectly. Triangles of inner square are blue rayon crepe; inner border of red; outer border of green. One-inch binding is of the same red as inner border.
Back: Dark green pieced plain- and sateen-weave cotton and a light green wool.
Quilting: Crosshatch center; triangles quilted with a branching rose pattern (fabric and rose pattern suggest the late date of c. 1935). Also, scallop quilting at outer edges and a heart at both acute-angle corners. Inner border, 5 inches wide, has pumpkin seed flowers alternating with a zigzag pattern (unusual variation of the earlier traditional diamond and flower used in the inner border). Outer 12-inch border of green has feather scrolls.
Provenance
From maker Fanny Petersheim to unknown to dealer Stella Rubin of Potomac, MD, to Esprit. Purchased from Rubin in Aug. 1983 for $5,200.
