Q8572 Wool Embroidered Folk Art Signature Quilt

Dated 1926
72 x 82 inches
Pennsylvania
$2,900

This absolutely spectacular wool quilt invites close inspection of the wide variety of plants and animals skillfully embroidered in colorful pearl cotton. Cut from men’s suiting wool, the interior blocks measure approximately 7 x 12 inches, and the border blocks are 4 x 8 inches. All the seams were embellished with fancy stitching, and the quilt was finished with a pillowcase edging and a circa 1915 whole cloth cotton striped backing in browns and golds.

This particular quilt offers multiple clues to its origin, but no clear answers. Many of the blocks were cut with pinking shears; taken perhaps from a suiting sample book? Perhaps the quilter had access to a tailor’s remnants? Dated 1926, twelve triple initials have been included, all skillfully stitched in equal size, with nine of them ending in the letter “L”. Was this quilt made by one person who chose to include initials of loved ones, or was it perhaps a more collaborative family effort? Unusual animals such as an elk, a great horned owl, an elephant, and a labeled ibex were included among the more commonly seen domestic animals and plants. The skill and care taken in the creation of this warm, lively, and instructional piece raises the possibility that it may have been made for a special child, or perhaps as a parting gift.

While we may never know the actual history of this quilt, we can certainly recognize its value as a superior folk art piece! Please ask Betsey for more information and to see the quilt on approval in the privacy of your home.