Quilted Petticoat

Date1755-1770

OriginAmerica, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

MediumSilk satin face fabric; tabby weave glazed worsted backing; cotton batting; silk binding tape; quilted with silk.

DimensionsL: 39-41 1/2" Circumference bottom edge: 114"

Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Lewis Rumford, II.

Object number1974-658

DescriptionWoman's quilted petticoat, once light blue, now faded to soft slivery grey blue. The garment is made of silk satin face fabric and wool backing, quilted through thin cotton padding. The design consists of a border pattern. The upper part is worked in imbricated, scalloped fan palmettes. The bottom border, 7-12" wide, has a scalloped edge filled with floral-meander pattern against diagonal quilting ground. The backing fabric is natural color plain-woven glazed worsted. Petticoat is gathered to a replaced waistband and has two pocket slits.
Label TextPetticoat
Made by Rebecca Wistar Morris (1736-1791)
Pennsylvania, 1755-1770
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Rumford II
This fine quilted petticoat was made at home by Philadelphia Quaker Rebecca Wistar, who married Samuel Morris in 1755 at the age of 19. The pencil lines Rebecca followed when she quilted the sophisticated design are still faintly visible on the silk face fabric. Once light blue, the satin has faded to silvery gray.
Technical Information:
Silk satin face fabric
Cotton fiber filling
Worsted wool plain-woven backing, glazed
9 to 11 silk running stitches per inch
1974-658

Markings"E.C. Rumford" on replaced ties.
ProvenanceTraditionally the garment was made and worn by Rebecca Wistar (1736-1791) who married Samuel Morris in 1755. It descended in the Wistar-Morris-Rumford families of Pennsylvania and Maryland. See also: G1974-659 and 660.

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