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.
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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).
Unusual "H" pattern Amish quilt. Maker did not likely intend for this pattern to represent a letter of the alphabet, although "English" quiltmakers sometimes used quilt patterns using a significant family initial.
Top: plain- and twill-weave cotton and wool. Centerfield has 24 H designs alternating upright and sideways. Inner sashing of 3.5" width. Inner border with red corner blocks. Outer border of blue with red corner blocks.
Back: purple plain-weave cotton.
Binding is dark blue, 1.5 inches wide.
Quilting: Outer border has fern pattern and large-scale scalloping on inner edge. Basket with flowers design in large corner blocks. Inner border has cable motif and corners with 5-petal flowers. Sashing has running "eye" shapes and pieced blocks are waffle.
Provenance
Purchased from America Hurrah of Madison Ave., New York City. Invoice of May 2, 1989 is for $3,200.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Double Ninepatch pattern, c. 1940. Machine-pieced.
Top: plain-weave wool, rayon and plaid plain-weave silk. Centerfield is 42" sq. with 25 blocks at 8 1/2" sq. with plum open blocks of fine challis wool alternating with double 9-patch blocks. Five tiny squares of red with white woven plaid. Inner border of pink with corners of 9-patch pattern, of which 2 are blue and black while their opposites are grren and black. Outer border of green challis wool w/ no actual corners although corners are delineated by double rows of stitching. Binding of dark blue soft challis wool.
Back: light blue sateen cotton with narrow stripes. Machine joined in 2 widths. Narrow strips at one side.
Batting of light tan wool, quite thin in areas.
Quilted by hand with black thread. Outer border has finely executed intertwining feathers and corners have a meticulously quilted feather wreath. Inner border has vining pansies Centerfield has open blocks w/ 4-part floral design resembling pansies (variation of inner border). Nine-patch blocks have crosshatch pattern.
Six 9-patch blocks have overlay on squares. Quilting thread has faded to brown. Old tan stain 1/2" square and several small holes in inner border. Distorted inner border. Six old holes, some repaired, in outer border. Binding has repaired old hole with inside patch 1" x 1/2". Distorted at corners.
Backing shows migration of pink from inner border on front; a 10" square area behind outer border has tan stain.
Quilt is white cotton, top and back, with appliques of potted floral design done in solid red and a green with lesser yellow highlights. Pattern is often called "Pot of Flowers." Center is divided into quadrants with an identical large flowering & fruiting potted plant supporting 4 birds in each, creating a symmetrical design.Ornate pot has handles and the branches have leaves of stylized oak, tulip and cucumber. Border has a pair of wide-spreading flowering & fruiting plants on each side and a bird perched on a smaller sprig at each corner.
Blue is used only on the tail of the four corner birds. Red cherries cluster around branches on each plant; yellow ones at branch tips only. Cherries are cotton-stuffed balls stitched to quilt top only. Chain-stitch embroidered stems done in white thread.
Quilting is done in a fine grid (about 1/2") of blue contrasting thread over entire surface. Binding is red and batting is sparse or nonexistent..
Attributed to Sarah Annie Maisey Marker Smith (22 February 1883 - 22 December 1965). Married twice, she had 7 children & made quilts for many if not all. The family called them "cherry quilts." See Notes.
Provenance
Donor reports quilt was acquired by his wife's parents, Lynn and Lois Langdon, who lived in Idaho and were antiques collectors. At an auction in Oregon state (c.1987-88), the quilt was described as a "Pennsylvania wedding quilt." The Langdons purchased it, thinking it would be appropriate for the Lancaster bed & breakfast "The Patchwork Inn" run by donor and his late wife. (Donor's wife, Joanne, died some time ago. He remarried and they continued the B&B for another 10 years.) The Martins had a collection of over 100 quilts in this B&B. Now retired, donor is finding homes for many of the quilts.
Bio. info on maker Sarah Annie was obtained by Trish Herr from Morgan Anderson (see file). Quiltmaker lived on Easterday Rd, north of Myersville, MD.
Red binding and many stuffed cherries heavily worn. Loss of 2 cherries on one of the large quadrant plants. Minor soiling with some liquid stains, mostly around edges. Reverse has light acid burn at some fold lines. Along one quilt edge are spaced eleven minor holes, probably where tacked up for display in B&B.
Object ID
G.02.47.01
Notes
Applique quilts such as this cherry type "Pot of Flowers" design with its color palette of red and green were being made circa 1850s-1870. Red and green applique quilts were popular in the East, then spread westward where they remained popular during this time, then faded. Two more Pot of Flowers are dated 1902 and 1904, but really had a significant resurgence in the1920s and 1930s. See Connie Nordstroms, "One Pot of Flowers Quilt Pattern -- Blossoming through Centuries", Vol. 23 of the Research Papers of the AQSG, 2002 in file.
Place of Origin
Myersville, Frederick County, Maryland
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
Given by the W. Lee Martin family in memory of Joanne M. Martin, Heritage Center Collection
All-white quilt made with unusual arrangement of pieced cotton panels, both machine and hand stitched.
Quilt top and quilt back are essentially identical; all plain-weave cotton except for two 8" wide side panels of ribbed weave and bottom 4.5" wide panel of ribbed basket weave. Centerfield has variously joined panels: at center is 13.5" wide panel flanked by two 9" wide panels and all surrounded by a 9" wide border. Very unusual piecing throughout: overlapping seams, hemmed seams and corners that do not align in conventional manner.
Quilting designs: center panel has 3 feather wreaths on a grid field, and the remaining plain-weave panels each have an undulating feather design on a field of diagonal lines. Cotton batting is deteriorated into clumps from laundering and cotton seeds scattered throughout.
Provenance
Inherited by donor from unknown Mueller family member.
Moderate wear; minor scattered stains, esp. at periphery. Most notable are two tiny blood stains, now faded. Minor separation at several seams, esp. middle panel.
Object ID
G.03.26.01
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul A. Mueller, Jr., Heritage Center Collection
Quilt with Broken Star pattern, cottons with colors indicating Ohio Amish origin (appraiser suggests PA due to greens & pinks). Machine pieced and hand quilted. All solid colors, some polished.
Central large star of yellow, pink, green and lavender on a navy ground. Enclosed by a thin 1.5" wide pieced border of pink and green as well as on outer border of navy, about 7.5" wide. Boldly finished with a sawtooth applique binding of yellow.
Backing is two different lavender solid cottons. Printing on a selvage edge has "LANCASTER KALBURNIE" visible in several areas. Batting is a thin cotton.
Dense quilting is finely done in a contrasting color. Star has parallel lines with feather wreaths in between. Undulating feather motif and grid on both outer border and corners of the large square of navy ground.
Other examples of Broken Star: p. 115 in Eve Granick, The Amish Quilt; p. 52 ff. in Pellman & Pellman, The World of Amish Quilts
Made by an unknown Amish quiltmaker in Ohio or Pennsylvania.
Amish Sunshine and Shadow quilt with small 1 1/2" blocks composing center field pattern within a purple wool border 10 1/4" wide and a purple cotton binding 1 1/4" wide. Multi-colored small squares (including black) in center field are a mix of wools and cottons.
Hand-quilted in black. Center field has diagonal grid; border has floral undulating vine with ends tied in a bow at each corner. Leaves similar to rose leaves, but flowers have six rounded petals.
Backing is a medium-scale print of polychrome military medals with a dangling Maltese Cross, all on a field of grayish blue.
Several small, light stains/soil. Two small frayed holes of 1/8", each in border but opposite sides of quilt. One larger repaired hole in small black square. Significant fade pattern resembling tic-tac-toe grid, but with 3 lines each direction.
Object ID
G.08.17.04
Credit
Gift of Joanna S. Rose, Heritage Center Collection
Amish quilt, Sunshine and Shadow pattern. Centerfield is pieced 1.625" squares of rayon, wool crepe and cotton sateen. It has a 12" wide border of blue rayon, except for wool corners.
Hand quilted in dark thread. A grid pattern runs through centerfield squares and scrolling feathers in the outer border. Batting is cotton. Binding is 7/8" wide in an eggplant colored rayon. Quilt backing is a solid gray cotton.
A small "L" is cross-stitched in corner of back.
Attributed to a member of the King family.
Provenance
Donor purchased quilt from dealer Jackie Rothfus, who stated quilt was "made by a member of the King family of Lancaster County."
Published in Quilting Traditions by Trish Herr, p. 56. Documented in Quilt Harvest as #406A.
Paint and herringbone, chain, buttonhole, stem, and running stitches on commercial cotton fabric, with commercial synthetic fringe. Machine-pieced top in Diamond in a Square type pattern on white background. Sashing to make diamond and square forms are pieced with blue and white cotton. Blue pieces are outlined in blue running stitch on their short sides. Points of square and diamond are white fabric, with blue running stitch in square form.
Painted floral wreath in center diamond, with an embroidered bow in blue buttonhole. Wreath includes five roses in pink and red; greenery; blue, pink, yellow, purple, and orange flowers; and red berried sprigs.
Triangular areas, outside of diamond, each contain 4 painted flowers. One blue flower in each outside corner, with orange center. Three flowers along diamond edge. One five-lobed yellow flower, with orange center. One large pink and red rose, with greenery. One purple five-lobed flower, with orange center. Floral vine and leaf outer border. Five-lobed pink flowers worked in blanket stitch, with stem stitch highlights. Vine worked in green herringbone stitch. Leaves in green blanket stitch, with chain and stem highlights. Machine-applied commercial synthetic twisted fringe on four sides.
Back is machine-pieced white cotton. Shows evidence of embroidered green leaves, blue running stitch and ribbon, and pink highlights.
Original inventory number--630.
Provenance
Collected by George Lyster in Lancaster Co. Intended as a gift, entire collection remains on loan.
Appliqued and pieced cottons, cotton stem and French knot embroidery, cotton quilting thread. Nine-block of appliqued back view of boys in a 3 x 3 arrangement on white background. Each boy's hat, shirt, and pants worked in applique. Pants are solid fabric, including the following colors: lavender, blue, pink, green, yellow, red, and tan. Shirts are various floral fabrics. Crown of hat, crossed suspenders, buttons, hands, feet, bucket, and shovel worked in black stem. Rivets on shovel worked in French knots in black. Outline of buttocks worked in yellow or black stem. Blocks separated by 2 1/2" grid of blue sashing. Four, nine patch blocks measuring 2 1/2", in white and blue at center block corners. Blue border encasing appliqued blocks is 2". White border is 5" wide at top and sides. 8 5/8"wide at bottom. Outer blue border and binding is 1 1/4". Backing is unknown because it is mounted on muslin. Front, back, and cotton gauzelike filling quilted with white cotton thread. Appliqued blocks with grid-like quilting diagonally across corners. Quilting on blue sashing is diagonal. Shell and rope quilting in white border, with grid-like quilting across the corners.
Herr noted this quilt is not traditional for the Amish. At the time, applique was not the norm. Printed fabric was not used in boys' shirts. Human images rarely appear on items found in the Amish home.
York Co. Doc. Project book notes "During the 1930s, applique patterns w/ sentimental depictions of animals, objects, and people became popular. These include standard patterns such as "Sunbonnet Sue", "Overall Bill," butterflies, flowers and dogs." The pattern name "Overall Bill" is obviously the one used in this Amish-made quilt. (See p. 34 for pattern example)
Original inventory number--623.
On exhibit in new Amish installation, 2nd floor City Hall, 2009-2011.
White fabric on top is discolored with slight overall soiling. Dark spotting on center block. Dark spots and holes in lower right block. Stains in lower center block. Applique stitching is failing in multiple places. Back condition is unknown, since it is backed with muslin.
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.
