Lancaster Amish Bars quilt, c. 1920. Superb example of a simple design having no corner blocks or inner borders, and fine quilting.
Top is plain-weave wools. The four orange strips are 6 1/2"" wide. The three blue strips are 6" wide.
Quilting: Fine, dense waffle quilting throughout; bordering the outside edge of field is scalloping. Red outside border has gracefully scrolling feather quilting that includes a well-placed pineapple in the middle of the two long sides.
Pale blue one-inch binding.
Backing: One corner of the gray-and-blue cotton is pieced with a darker blue.
Provenance
Unknown. Purchased before 1984 since it was hanging in Esprit headquarters in Customer Service on 3rd floor as of June 1984.
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.
Binding is faded/worn; small tears beginning to form.
Object ID
P.02.51.38
Notes
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.
Top: twill-weave and crepe wool. Five brown bars alternate with five green bars, all 4 1/2" in width. Inner border of faded purple twill is 3 3/4" wide. Outer border of dark green is 12" wide. Faded blue binding is 1" wide.
Back: blue plain-weave cotton.
Quilting: waffle quilted throughout bars; inner border has "pumpkin seed" floral motif within a diamond pattern and an 8-pointed star at each corner; outer border has gracefully scrolling feather motif.
Cross stitched in red cotton along edge of reverse side is "JSB / 1925", for maker or recipient.
Provenance
Unknown. Used in Conference Room on 1st floor of Esprit bldg.
Colors faded, esp. blue binding. Ragged hole exposing batting approx. 1/4" in size is located near one corner (7" in from one edge & 4 1/2" in from other edge). Another nearby hole is much smaller, and yet another nearby area shows loss. Probably insect damage.
Object ID
P.02.51.39
Notes
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.
Top: Plain- and twill-weave wool. Purple and dark green bars. The gray inner border and the maroon outer border are both lacking corner blocks. However, Beiler has given the suggestion of corner blocks in the outer border by double-quiilting the boundaries of each corner and placing an isolated feather circle within.
Dark green binding was machine applied and finished.
Quilting patterns are the traditional early ones: curved feather outer border, four-petal flower in a diamond in the inner border, and waffle quilting in the center Bars area. Additionally, each curve of feather quilting encompasses a star.
Attributed to Susan Beiler, daughter of "Blue Gate Dan". See Notes.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from American Hurrah in Oct. 1984 for $9,000.
Esprit condition report in file for details of stains/ soil, and discoloration. Small moth holes in maroon border and corner of back.
Object ID
P.02.51.40
Notes
Herr writes: "Blue Gate Dan is said to have been one of the first of the Lancaster County Amish community to open the doors to tourists. The farm in which this was made is located on the south side of U.S. Route 30 just east of Lancaster. It is still called the Blue Gate farm because of the blue painted gate in the front yard leading to the house. The Amish family that now owns the property has a produce and baked-goods stand located along the road next to that blue gate."
Lancaster Amish Bars quilt, circa 1920. Deep colors such as these are usually found in early quilts.
Top: Twill-weave wools. Seven-inch wide bars of blue and green with red inner border and blue outer border with green blocks.
Back: Black & white and blue & white chambray, machine joined in four widths. Just one narrow strip is in blue.
Quilting: Although the quilting of fine even stitches is excellent, the patterns are hard to see in dark colors. Outer border has baskets containing a tulip and tiny paired loops a the side of each basket handle. Baskets alternate with 6-point stars. A row of scallops along inner edge. The inside border has a double cable with 6-point star in corners. Centerfield is waffle.
Binding is red, machine sewn to the back, turned and machine sewn to front with black cotton thread.
North of White Horse, Lancaster County (Esprit Book, plate 43)
Provenance
Purchased by Esprit from the Holsteins for $10,000 on 6/12/1986.
Some fading of blue fabric. Some small holes and one tear, now darned, at back of binding in one corner caused by a heavy nylon strap sleeve, removed by conservator Linnea Davis. Other hole repairs made by Davis in binding (see file).
Lancaster Amish Bars quilt, circa 1925. This Bars pattern has inner and outer corner blocks with a pleasing progression of red fabric from the outer corner to the central part of the quilt.
Top: Twill- weave wools. Six-inch-wide bars of red and beige, inner border of Prussian blue with red corners and outer border of beige with red corners. Binding is Prussian blue, machine sewn to the front, turned and whip-stitched to the back with black thread.
Back: Brown & tan stripe-printed plain-weave cotton. Machine joined in three widths of 24" each.
Quilting: Cross-hatched centerfield across the diagonal. Inner border has pumpkin seeds alternating with paired triangle point lines. Corner squares have a seven "seed" rosette. Outer border has S-scroll feathers with feather segments at each end of border. Corner squares have a single-feather circle surrounding a large eight "seed" rosette. Scallops at inner edge. Double line quilting defines the seam join of the borders to the square.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from Rhea Goodman, Quilt Gallery, Inc. Hung in the Accounting office at Esprit in 1984.
Published in Holsteins' "The Pieced Quilt", 1973, p. 96, Plate 32.
Published in Holsteins' "The Pieced Quilt", 1973, p. 96, Plate 32.
Length (in)
82
Width (in)
74
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2014-10-21
Condition Notes
Minor large stains on backing in center, short tear at corner caused by 2" velcro, now removed. Tiny areas of red and blue bleeding at front. Old moth damage. Detailed condition by Linnea Davis, 1990
Lancaster Amish quilt, Bars pattern, circa 1920. Herr: "This quilt, although quite different in color, is remarkably similar in pattern layout, dimensions, and quilting to the previous quilt (plate 44). The liberal use of strong red against teal, accented with a narrow pink border, adds excitement."
Top: Plain-weave wool. Wine and turquoise thoughout except for soft rose inner border.
Quilting: Outside border has unusual segmented feather pattern and the stand-alone feather wreath in each corner block. Center has waffle quilting. Inner border has pumpkin seed flowers within a geometric diamond pattern. (Waffle and pumpkin seed flower quilting is tighter than plate #44.)
Provenance
Esprit purchased from America Hurrah in October of 1982 for $5,500.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Bars pattern, c. 1925. Square quilt with pieced inner border
Top: plain-weave wool. Four red bars alternate with five teal-blue bars (all 5" wide), surrounded by a narrow border of pieced green diamonds and salmon triangles with teal-blue corner blocks. Outer border is dark red with teal-blue corners. The teal binding is 1 1/4" wide, machine sewn to front, turned and whip-stitched to back.
Back: brown-and-white printed-check, plain-weave cotton. Machine joined in 3 widths.
Quilting: Done in tiny stitches with black thread. Waffle quilting throughout bars; inner border has a 4-petal "pumpkin seed" flower within each green diamond and a double-outlined 7-petal rosette in corner blocks. Outer border has scrolling feather quilting.
Bird-in-Hand area, Lancaster County (See file)
Additional holes & stains noted: Multiple tiny moth holes and several additional stains (added to report photo). Backing has some dark stains and a 1-inch-long split near one corner.
Provenance
Purchased by Esprit from the Holsteins on 6/12/86 for $10,500. Reported that the Amish family from whom this was purchased had never seen another Bars quilt with the pieced diamond inner border. (Esprit book, Plate 47)
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.
One outer turquoise bar has two faint tan stains. Inner border has puckered seam joins. One side of outer border has four holes; one is darned with red thread. Opposite end has a clean-cut hole. Back has some rust stains with adjacent unknown stains. Very little nap remains on flannel.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Bars pattern, c. 1925. Bold, striking design of only two strong colors. (Two other similar quilts are known: One is p. 60, McCauley's Decorative Arts of the Amish and another is in private collection).
Top: plain-weave wools. Seven bars are 4 3/4" wide, four of blue alternate with three of red. A surrounding narrow inner border, 3 1/4" wide, has pieced blue diamonds and red triangles. Outer border of blue, 12" wide, has red corner blocks. Red binding is 1 1/4" wide, machine sewn to front, turned and whip-stitched to back with black thread.
Back: sateen-weave cotton is royal purple. Three machine joined widths.
Quilting: Waffle pattern throughout bars; diamonds of inner border have "pumpkin seed" flowers with "leaning" petals, including larger flowers in the corner blocks. Outer border has undulating 5-petal floral vine. Similar quilting patterns as P02.51.46 except for feather outer border.
Generally very good condition with strong color. Most significant are some very small holes at one end of center red bar and two small holes in the adjacent blue bar. Corner of outer border has two black stains at quilted leaf.
Lancaster Amish Quilt, Split Bars pattern, circa 1925.
Top: Plain- and twill-weave wools, machine joined. Four split bars of green and magenta/purple alternate with three solid bars of light blue-gray. Inner border of pink with purple corner blocks. Outer border is red with purple corner blocks. Green binding (same as fabric in bars.
Back is a plain-weave cotton having a multicolor print simulating a weave. Nap of flannel quite worn.
Batting is a tan cotton.
Quilting: Waffle pattern within bars, inner border has pumpkin seed florets within large diamonds and single 6-pointed star in each corner block. Outer border has baskets (5 at each side), each containing a tulip while corner blocks have a single feather wreath. Also a single row of scalloping along inner edge.
Provenance
Purchased by Esprit from unknown vendor in March 1977 for $1,200. This is one of the earliest quilts purchased by Doug Thompson.
Hung in the Executive Office lobby of Esprit Corp. in 1983.
Conservation Report done by Linnea Davis in 1989. BINDING has areas of serious deterioration/rotting (holes and shredding). FRAGILE. Centerfield has moisture streaks (of foam cleaner?). Nap of flannel backing is quite worn.
Red blood stain on inner border. Corner blocks of outside border are faded.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Bars with Wild Goose Chase variation. Machine assembled in bright colors with some black "geese". Hand-quilted with black thread. Use of the Wild Goose Chase in bars is rare, if not unique. Quilting patterns are also unexpected.
Top: plain-weave and crepe wool. Multi-colored geese alternate with red bars; blue inner border; green outer border. Binding is red, machine sewn to back and front.
Back: Printed plain-weave cotton has a wine-and-white floral design.
Batting: Off-white cotton
Quilting: Outer border has a fern motif, normally associated with late 19th or early 20th c. Amish quilts, however the use of crepe weave wool in the binding suggests that the quilt was made as late as the 1920s. The corner blocks have a basket motif that suggests a slightly later date than the fern pattern. Inner border has cable motif which ends at corners and does not turn. Chevron pattern within the solid red bars complements the Wild Goose Chase pieced work, but is not usually seen in the bar section of Lancaster Amish quilts.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from the Holsteins, 6-12-86, for $10,000.
Published in "A Gallery of Amish Quilts" on page 62.
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.
Published in "A Gallery of Amish Quilts" on page 62.
Length (in)
79.5
Width (in)
72.5
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2014-10-20
Condition Notes
Linnea Davis condition reports notes 4 black and 3 green triangles are split. It appears that some blue of inner border has migrated/bled into green of outer border; borders show significant fading. The 7 split triangles have been overlaid with silk crepeline.
