Q8563 Wool Victorian Crazy Quilt with Embroidered Animals
Dated 1906
43 x 55
possibly New York
$4,900

This is a rare and wonderful piece of folk art in its original youth bed size. A wide variety of wool and wool challis fabrics have been assembled into a crazy quilt, with every seam embellished in fancy hand stitching. Absolutely packed with embroidered pictures of birds, butterflies, fruit, flowers, chickens, along with a cow, dog, and a horse. The most historically intriguing animal is the elephant labeled “Jumbo” on its side. Circus showman P.T. Barnum marketed Jumbo heavily in the 1880’s, so it would be a reasonable possibility that this quilt was made by someone who remembered Jumbo or perhaps included the elephant because it was in one of the child’s favorite books. Finished with a ½ inch separately applied black binding embellished with a double herringbone stitch, backed with red flannel, and reverse tied with black yarn. The perfect size for hanging, this quilt retains all of its positive energy! Please ask Betsey for more details.