Q8597 Red and White Delectable Mountains
c.1864
80 x 82
Pennsylvania
$2,800

This Civil War era quilt has it all; excellent condition, clean two color graphics, and a challenging, hard to find pattern skillfully executed and spectacularly hand quilted! Red and white quilts are one of the most desired color combinations, and this quilt’s Turkey red and off-white cotton fabrics allow it to fit easily into any existing décor. The Delectable Mountains pattern refers “A Pilgrim’s Progress”, written by British novelist John Bunyan in the late 1600’s. The allegorical journey of Christian, a pilgrim on his way to the Celestial City, made this story an extremely popular and enduring religious classic in early American history. A small fabric label embroidered with the name “Jacob” on the back of the quilt hints at its original purpose…perhaps a gift with a subtle reminder to Jacob to keep on the straight and narrow!

The off-white border is 6 ¾ inches wide, including a scant 1/8 inch binding turned from the back to the front, and the backing is the same off-white cotton. Two sides of the quilt have a 1 ½ inch wide red sawtooth inner border, and the red triangular “mountains” on the other two sides of the quilt give the impression of a sawtooth border. Using the Delectable Mountains pattern in this configuration is another indication of the skill level of this creative needlewoman. Entirely hand quilted in narrow ½ inch spacing throughout the quilt, crosshatching was used in the white triangles, diagonal lines in the red mountain triangles and the inner border, and a ten line cable runs through the off-white outer border. What a spectacular quilt for a queen size bed or art for the wall!

Professionally hand washed by Betsey.