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.
Framed Center white cotton quilt has pieced work as well as appliqued cut-out images from an English block-printed cotton chintz that dates from the 1780s. This applique technique (here using colorful birds and branches) is known as "broderie perse" or Persian embroidery.
Center medallion has two birds of prey and flowering branches. Inner border is defined by sawtooth applique of chintz. Outer border continues with broderie perse applique of flowering branches and smaller exotic birds resembling peacocks with long trailing tails.
Quilting patterns: undulating feather in outside border with filled-in areas of waffle and vine-and-berry. Center has vine-and-berry with waffle. Inner border has a rope pattern.
Quilt has white cotton back and cotton batting.
Possibly Northeastern Lancaster County.
Provenance
Quilt was purchased by the Dykes in East or West Cocalico Twp.
Very good overall. Light brown liquid stains, especially in right center area. sprinking of small light brown stains overall.
Object ID
P.77.35.1
Notes
See "Quilts in America" by P. & B. Orlofsky (cover and p.225) for a c. 1803 quilt with this appliqued print. Label states this chintz print was "cut out of a 1780s English block-printed chintz of the type favored in England and France at that time and very popular in American quilts in the late 18th and early 19th centuries."
See also Weissman and Lavitt, "Labors of Love", p. 42.
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Quilt, pieced top of silk octagons, cotton batting, dark green velvet backing, tied (not quilted) with green yarns. Pieced top only was made by Marianna Gibbons while living at her farm, Beechdale, just north of Bird-in-Hand. Octagonal patches made Dec. 18, 1893 to March 17, 1894, except for final embroidered center patch. Quilt top likely completed soon after, during 1894. but definitely before her 1902 marriage to Oram David Brubaker (1862-1929), since she used intials MG instead of MGB.
Top has 25 blocks, each with 25 octagons. Each 8 1/2-inch block uses different silk fabrics; solids, prints and velvets. The 25 blocks are separated by an inner sash of dark green ribbed fabric, 1 1/2" wide. Only the squares at the intersections of the sashes are different, a midnight blue velvet (although many are worn off to show a black fabric backing). Outer border is dark green silk 4 1/2" wide and mitered at the corners. Center block containing alternating yellow and black octagons has the embroidered initials "MG" in center and the remaining yellow ones are embroidered with flowers.
Provenance
Provenance: Descent in Brubaker family to step-granddaughter Margaret Thompson Herr (donor's cousin). When Margaret died, donor acquired the quilt at the circa 1980 estate sale in Quarryville for ten dollars. Donor is also a step-granddaughter of maker.
Donor states that at some point before she bought the quilt, "church ladies" had put a pale green, quilted backing on it and secured it with ties. It had not been finished by Marianna Gibbons. Donor eventually replaced it during the 1980s with something more to her taste -- the present backing of dark green polyester velvet. It is secured at the corners of each of the 25 blocks with ties knotted at the back.
History: Donor reports that the Dr. Joseph and Phebe Earle Gibbons family were Quakers and their farm, Beechdale, was a primary station on the Underground Railroad. (The house itself is now gone, and the farm is now a horse farm.) Jack Brubaker (the Scribbler) owns the diaries of Marianna and her mother. The donor has worked on transcribing the diaries for years. Both women were well educated and accomplished. Marianna earned two degrees at Millersville Normal School in 1871 and 1872, was a writer, was well travelled and lectured with the temperance movement (W.C.T.U.). After Marianna completed the quilt, she married in 1902 a widower who was 14 years her junior, with 9 children aged 6 - 19. Oram David Brubaker & children came to live on his new wife's farm since she had a large farm and greater wealth. With trees and water, the 56-acre farm became a duck farm.
Generally very good. Some silk octagons are deteriorating and some velvet has lost its nap. The quilt had been finished by "church ladies" at some time while owned by Margaret T. Herr. Donor disliked it so replaced it with a polyester velvet in the 1980s. Small bleach spot on outer border.
Object ID
G.03.18.1
Place of Origin
Bird-in-Hand, East Lampeter Twp.
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
Gift of Marian Brubaker, Heritage Center Collection
Signature quilt presumably made for the marriage of John L. Shot / Ghot (unknown) and Fannie Gish (24 January 1835 - 26 February 1916), by friends and family in Rapho and Mount Joy Twp. area. The Gish family were Mennonite farmers & are buried in Keener Cemetery, Manheim -- including "Fannie M. Gish" (name not changed to Shot). Marriage apparently did not occur and she continued to live in parents' home through old age, always listed as single.
Pieced top of printed cottons in red, green and yellow, except for white signature blocks. There are 25 blocks of varying prints pieced into a geometric floral design. At center of each is a 3.75" square of white cotton with a name in cursive done in running stitch with red thread. At top left, the square reads: "John. L. Shot (or Ghot) / Fannie Gish/ was made in/ the year/ 1854." Outer border and sashing are the same printed fabric of green and yellow.
Back is a red and pink cotton print, wrapped to front to create a self-binding. Cotton batting.
Provenance
Purchased by Herrs Antiques (Trish) in 1990 from the estate of John Getz (1901-1986), Pitt St., in Manheim. Family members believed his wife, Sue Gish Ober Getz, was the granddaughter of Fannie Gish, but research instead identifies Peter and Mary Nissley Gish as Sue's grandparents. Quilt recipient Fannie Gish remained single with no known issue. Quilt likely descended within the Gish family to John and Sue Getz and due to its excellent condition, seems to have never been used.
Very good condition; used little if at all. White squares show light brown staining.
Object ID
P.90.02
Notes
A John Schott was found who was born in France on 1 Aug 1793 and died in Marietta 10 Oct 1860. He is buried in the Marietta Union Meeting House Cemetery.
Place of Origin
Mount Joy Twp. and Rapho Twp.
Credit
Generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Friendship quilt of white cotton, both top and back, with names of church members handwritten on it. Nine-patch variation blocks on point are made of dark red and white and alternate with white blocks. Dark red fabric has a small-scale print of flowering vine in black. Outside border is 7.5" wide on all four sides. Little or no batting; narrow binding is back brought forward. Quilt patterns includes triple cable in border with variety of motifs within each white block.
161 S. Main St., Shrewsbury, York County, Pennsylvania
Names handwritten by one person in ink. Four names within each 9-patch block and the remainder within the half-blocks at perimeter.
Quilt was made by the Reformed Church congregation in Shrewsbury, York Co., for their pastor, Rev. Hiram J. Hillegass. Hillegass was raised in Coopersburg, PA and was graduated from the Lancaster Theological Seminary. Presented to Rev. Hillegass reportedly as a farewill gift, probably c. 1907, by his Shrewsbury church congregation as he was taking a new pastorate at the Mechanicsburg (now Leola) church, Salem U.C.C. of Hellers, Lancaster County. Hillegas served 1895-1907 in York Co. and the congregation wanted to be remembered by this quilt signed with all 363 names of the members (handwritten list by Jean Hillegass, in file).
Provenance
Passed from Hiram J. Hillegass to son Russell to grandson Harold (donor). Harold and Jean are selling their home and retiring to Masonic Village, so wanted to find a good home for quilt.
Two small (3 1/4 x 4 1/4) portrait photos of both Rev. Hiram J. Hillegass & Mrs. Hiram (Euphemia Kern) Hillegass in file. Taken perhaps around their time of marriage. Also in file is clipped signature of H.J. Hillegass.
Signature quilt, Bear's Paw or Goose Tracks pattern, made of pieced and appliqued solid red and white cottons. Bear's Paw blocks are 9.5-10", made of 9 squares. The four corner white squares each have 2 red triangles & a square appliqued onto white to created pattern. Each center patch has a hand-penned signature.
Upper left block reads: "THE PROPERTY of Elizabeth Mann of Manor Township County of LANCASTER PA 1852." Remaining 35 blocks bear signatures of relatives and friends from Lancaster, York and Union Counties. Design blocks separated by 4" wide pieced white sashing; several horizontal sashes misaligned. Red binding stitched to front, wrapped and stitched to back. Backing is the same white cotton.
Hand quilted in white. Design blocks have lattice except for parallel lined in signature patch. Vertical sashing has vine with large flowers and large round berries? on vine. Horizontal sashing has large flower flanked by two long leaves and a line of rings within.
Made by family and friends of Elizabeth B. Mann (1832-1906) before her 1854 marriage to Eli C. Shuman (1830-1916), son of Jacob and Fanny Shuman of Washington Boro. See NOTES
Provenance
Quilt passed from maker to daughter Ida Shuman Willis to daughter Miriam K. Willis (single) who, at age 85, sold the quilt to Michael Rizzuto, an appraiser in York Springs, Pa. He then sold to Heritage Center.
Top has a sprinkling of various small stains and light soil. Back has increased soil, many small stains with some very dark.
Structurally very good condition.
Object ID
P.88.13.1
Notes
Elizabeth and Eli moved in 1860 to a 200-acre farm called "Bunker Hill Farm" in the Good Hope area of Cumberland Co. They raised 10 children and were then buried at Hope United Methodist Church on the Carlisle Pike.
See file for listing of signature names, places and relationships.
Place of Origin
Manor Twp.
Credit
Generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Friendship quilt, Variable Star pattern, made for and/or by Sarah Jane Taylor and signed by her friends, family and relatives. Made of pieced, mostly small-scale cotton prints, front and back, except for 3-inch-square white signature patches.
Quilt consists of seven columns of eight large blocks (8.75" square) in each (total of 56). Each block has various printed cottons with a variant star at the center and a white signature patch at the center of each star. Some signatures signed by hand in ink and some stamped. Most are Lancaster County, some are other counties and several are states such as Indiana and New Jersey. Dates range from 1843 to 1850. Sarah Jane Taylor patch is a bird-heart-flower oval stamp in 5th column, 3rd from bottom.
Blocks separated by inner sash of green print with black stripes. A wider portion of this print forms left border. Batting is wool. Hand-quilted in white w/ undetermined floral/foliate design. Wide left border has a 3-line cable pattern. Backing is a cotton print of black "T" shapes on white ground.
Quilt cut at top and right side, probably with a loss of the entire column of eight squares (as suggested by Amy Finkel appraisal). Edge is then finished with front bound to back. Bottom and left edges have original 1/4" binding of printed cotton, backing brought forward.
Provenance
Descent from Sarah Jane Taylor Slemmer (June 15, 1834 -- Jan. 26, 1869) to sister Kate's daughter, niece Helen Haskell (born 1890) who married Charles F. Bowman, Sr.. Quilt given by their three children.
See file for: Correspondence and supporting info., retired photo loan file of Karen Weaver of Denver, CO, and copy of Amy Finkel's one-page appraisal.
Quilt has been cut along right side and top, with the front folded back. Possibly an entire column of 8 blocks was removed. Multiple brown stains and soiling overall. Wear to fabrics with discoloration; binding esp. worn with many areas of exposed batting along bottom and esp. left side. Backing has strong wear.
Object ID
G.91.09
Notes
Sarah Jane Taylor (1834-1869) married Washington Slemmer 25 Nov. 1862 in Rosemont Twp. in Delaware County, PA in Radnor Methodist Church (located on Main Line between Bryn Mawr and Villanova).
Place of Origin
Leacock Twp.
Credit
Given in memory of Helen Haskell Bowman by her children Helen Bowman Jermyn, Marian Bowman Weaver and Charles Franklin Bowman, Jr., Heritage Center Collection
Lancaster Amish quilt, Center Square pattern, c. 1895. Machine assembled and hand-quilted.
Top: Twill-weave wool.
Back: Soft red twill-weave cotton.
Quilting: Dark-colored thread used in fine regular stitches. Inner square is filled with a large feather wreath with surrounding areas in waffle. Inner border has diamond quilting with a pumpkin seed flower within each. Outer border is filled with scrolling feathers and scalloping along its inner edge.
Blue 1" binding is machine sewn front and back.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from an unknown seller for $3.800 in April 1978.
Lancaster Amish quilt is a Center Square pattern, c. 1895. Machine joined; finely quilted with black thread.
Top: Twill-weave wools. Center is brown, 38" wide, pieced with one large piece and 5" strip at one side made of four smaller pieces. Inner border is medium blue, 4" wide. Outer border is dark olive green, 14" wide. Binding is medium blue, 1 1/2" wide, machine stitched to both back and front.
Back: Brown twill-weave wool with a narrow panel pieced at both sides of cinnamon brown sateen cotton.
Batting: Lightweight, either cotton or wool.
Quilting: Outer border filled with a gracefully curved scrolling feather. Inner border has 4-petal "pumpkin seed" flowers surrounded by a geometric diamond pattern. The 4 "pumpkin seed" shapes of these flowers slant sideways, creating a more dynamic feel. Center square has concentric feather rings with the center filled with a scallop-edged circle of waffle quilting. Outside corners are also filled with waffle quilting.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from Gaye N. Delling of Evergreen, CO in April of 1989 for $6,500.
Very dark liquid stains sprinkled mostly along one side of outer border; light liquid stains sprinkled elsewhere. Some liquid ate through fabric resulting in tiny holes mostly around outer border; cluster of holes near one corner of quilt has one larger hole of about 1/2" diameter.
Detailed 1989 condition report by conservator Linnea Davis in file: old repairs of holes and stains at outer border. Binding is faded with tack holes.
Lancaster Amish quilt is a Center Square pattern, c. 1895. Finely quilted w/ symmetry & precision. Assembled by machine and hand-quilted with brown cotton thread.
Top: Twill- and plain-weave wool. Center square of teal is 34 inches wide. Inner border (4 1/4" wide) is green and wide outer border (16" wide) is red. Faded blue binding is 1 1/4" wide.
Quilting: Same patterns, but differs slightly from the quilting of the previous two Center Square quilts. The large scrolls of the feather pattern of the outer border create compressed oval shapes rather than the conventional circular shapes. Scallops along the inner edge. Inner border has straight feather quilting. At one side of inner border is a significant gap between the feather ends, filled with a 5/8"-diameter ring. Center Square has a large, thin feather wreath. Waffle quilting fills inside and outside of wreath; scallops at both inside and outside edges of waffle quilting.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from Phyllis Haders of New York and Mystic, Conn., May 1984 for $9,000.
Overall fading. Outer border has multiple holes from about 1/2" x 1/4" big to 1/8" dia. that have been repaired by filling with similar twill fabric. Much of this border has pronounced discoloration/stains/soil and large areas are threadbare. Binding is significantly deteriorated with multiple breaks, fraying and small holes. Crepeline support added to bindings in 1985 and velcro on tape attached. Due to deterioration, removed velcro & crepeline in 1990, examined and replaced w/ new velcro on tape and some patches of crepeline. See condition reports in file.
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 is a Diamond in the Square patern, c. 1910. Herr writes: "The use of dark colors in similar tones suggests that this quilt was made in early 20th c."
Top: Plain- and twill-weave wool. Corners of inner border are pieced, and one of the four is comprised of two joined pieces. Blue binding.
Back: Black & white plain-weave cotton chambray.
Quilting: Interwoven feathers, each frond has a tulip at its end. Inner border has pumpkin seed flowers within a diamond pattern. At each corner is a 6-pointed star; all are double lined except on. Triangles are waffle quilted. Center diamond has a large star and 6 small stars within a feather wreath. Corners have a pattern of intersecting circles.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from the Holsteins for $9,000 on 6-12-80.
Lancaster Amish quilt is a Diamond in the Square pattern, c. 1900. The classic quilting patterns and subdued colors all suggest an early date. Consistency of elegant quilting (done in black) suggests a small number of very skilled quilters.
Top: Plain- and twill-weave wool. Turquoise diamond with purple triangles. Inner border is red and outer border is gray-tan. Purple binding; some pieced, is machine-sewn to front and whip-stitched to back.
Back: Blue-and-white plain-weave cotton chambray. Machine joined in 4 widths
Quilting: Black thread. Center Diamond has an 8-pointed star, double-lined, within two feather circles/wreaths. Cross-hatching fills corners and a scallop row is at outside edge. Triangles have cross-hatching. Inner border has pumpkin seed flowers within diamond geometric pattern. Outer border is filled with tightly scrolling feathers.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from the Holsteins for $9,000 on 6-12-86
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. 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.
