Pieced quilt of silks, cotton batting, glazed cotton back, cut in 2 halves, made by Quaker Deborah Simmons Coates, wife of Lindley Coates (1794-1856). Has 19 horizontal bands of dress silks (many produced by Harmonist Community) in alternating triangles arranged in Birds in the Air or Flying Geese pattern using the template method. Large triangles of varying patterns alternate with large triangles with 3 smaller appliqued triangles of contrasting patterns. Colors are browns, tans, beiges, electric and royal blue, peach and green. Each quilt half has a green silk binding on the three outside edges, and tan silk on the inner vertical cut edge. Quilting patterns are clamshell, diamond, cross in a square and diagonals.
At quilt center is a cream-colored triangle with an abolitionist stamp depicting a kneeling enslaved Black male in chains over the words: "Deliver me from the oppression/ of man." This stamped triangle was cut in two when quilt was divided; image now hidden by modern binding. According to Cuesta Benberry research, this image of a kneeling enslaved person originated with the English ceramic firm of Wedgwood in the late 1700s. See items 08.242 and 42.76.11 in the collectiosn of Metropolitan Museum of Art for seals with a similar motif. The Wedgwood family were ardent abolitionists, decorating various ceramics with this image, resulting in its rapid adoption by American anti-slavery groups. Used in many forms and media over the years, it remains the logo of the still-existing Pennsylvania Abolition Society and appears on organization's official publications.
Lindley and Deborah Coates, of West Grove, Chester Co., married there on 12/16/1819 but lived near Christiana in Sadsbury Twp., Lancaster Co. They attended Sadsbury Friends Meeting House near Christiana. Ardent abolitionists, their home was what is now designated station #5 on the Underground Railway. Lindley became President of the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1840, before William Lloyd Garrison. Deborah Coates became a Hicksite Quaker minister according to historian Beverly Wilson Palmer. Hicksites were the more radical Quakers, named after leader Elias Hicks.
Provenance
Quilt passed to son Simmons (1821-1862) & wife Emeline Jackson. (Deborah Coates lived w/ widow Emeline on her Chester Co. farm (Evergreen Hall in West Grove) for many years following Simmon's 1862 death. See census records). Descent to their daughter Elizabeth Jackson Coates who married Marriott Brosius, U.S. congressman from Lancaster. The quilt was then divided between their two daughters, donor's maternal grandmother Graceanna Brosius Biddle and her sister Gertrude Coho Reinhartson. The two halves were then reunited when given to donor, Marjorie Ayars Laidman. Deborah S. Coates was donor's great great great grandmother.
Overall good condition. Two halves of quilt (with recent inside binding on cut edges) are "mounted" on cotton muslin, side-by-side. Silks show significant deterioration -- cracking, splitting and abrasion -- with some losses. Binding also has deterioration with some losses. (See 1985-86 condition report by conservator Linnea Davis.)
Documented in Quilt Harvest #448-B (records in Archives).
Object ID
G.86.05
Place of Origin
Sadsbury Twp.
Credit
Gift of Marjorie A. Laidman, Heritage Center Collection
Jacquard coverlet made by Samuel Hippert. Weft yarns are red, green and blue wool and warp is natural white cotton. Two loom widths sewn together in center.
Center field has circles of foliate motifs. Border includes a double row of 8-petal flowers. At foot end and sides is an inner borders of roosters.
Weaver's blocks in corners at foot: "S+ H+ ELI/ ZABETH/ TOWN/ PA 1858/ SARAH/ ANN/ FLURY". Band with "H PATENT" repeated along runs across coverlet between weaver's blocks.
Sides are self-fringes; foot edge finished with applied fringe. Top/head edge has red cotton tape handsewn over the raw edge.
.
Corner blocks have "S.H. ELIZABETHTOWN PA 1838 SARAH ANN FLURY". Hippert worked in Mount Joy ca. 1833-1838 and in Elizabethtown ca. 1835-1841.
Cup (A) and saucer (B), glazed soft-paste porcelain, Strawberry pattern. Handleless cup has straight flaring sides & rests on a small foot Paint decoration on white ground has 2 strawberries & a large green leaf on each side with smaller leaves, purple roses and brown squiggles. Interior has double stripe with berries and flowers. Rim painted rust.
Saucer (B)
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Button from 1936 Fireman's Day. White button with black firetruck in center. Black lettering says "Lancaster County FIremans' Day." Below firetruck" June 6, 1936 Christiana, PA." One inch of 3/4 inch wide red ribbon holds a 1 3/8 long gold colored metal fireman's helmet. Maker's name, Erisman Lanc. Pa., in blue ink on paper insert on back of button.
According to donor's records all buttons were from Fireman's Conventions; Fireman's Day seems to be another name for these conventions.
One of two. Button from 1937 Lancaster County Fireman's Convention. Button with blue ribbon ( 1.5in w x 3.25in L) White background with red text "Hope Fire Engine and Hose Company 125th Anniversary" around a central picture of a fire truck with "1812-1937" beneath it. On dark blue ribbon in silver letters "17th Annual Convention Lancaster County FiIremen's Association Manheim, PA. June 5, 1937_" Stamped silver fringe border at bottom edge.
Two of two. Button from 1937 Lancaster County Fireman's Convention. Button with blue ribbon ( 1.5in w x 3.25in L) White background with red text "Hope Fire Engine and Hose Company 125th Anniversary" around a central picture of a fire truck with "1812-1937" beneath it. On dark blue ribbon in silver letters "17th Annual Convention Lancaster County FiIremen's Association Manheim, PA. June 5, 1937_" Stamped silver fringe border at bottom edge.
Button from 1938 Lancaster County Firemen's Convention. Front of button pictures a lime kiln with "Quarryville, PA" beneath. Around the circumference of the botton, in black letter: "Quarryville Fire Company No 1 Home of the Lime Quarries." On a red robbon (1.625in w x 3.5in L) in gold letters: "18th Annual Convention lanster County Firemen's Association Quarryville PA. June 4, 1938"
Delegate badge to the 1939 Lancaster County FIremen's Association Convention. Gold colored metal badge (1.875in x .75in) with white insert card, typed "Christ Koehler Delegate Lititz Fire Co" On 1.5in wide purple ribbon in gold letters: "19th Annual Convention Lancaster County Firemen's Association Delegate June 3, 1939 Lancaster, PA." Straight lower edge with stamped gold tassels.
Delegate badge of the Lancaster County Fireman's Association Convention.Gold colored metal badge (2.25in x .75in) with white typed insert card: "Christ Koehler Lititz Fire Co." On 1.625in wide ribbon in gold letters: "18th Annual Convention Lancaster County Firemen's Association Delegate June 4, 1938 Quarryville, PA."
Delegate badge for the Lancaster County Firemen's Association Convention. Gold colored metal badge, 2.25in x .75in. On purple ribbon in gold letters; "17th Annual Convention Lancaster County Firemen's Association Delegate June 5, 1937 Manheim, PA."
