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Quilt 1995.609.1
Quilt, Pieced Winchester Stars
Quilt 1995.609.1

Quilt, Pieced Winchester Stars

Date1840
Artist/Maker Harriet Ann Richards (1821-1869)
OriginAmerica, Virginia, Frederick County, Winchester
MediumWhite and printed cottons
Dimensions113" x 103"
Credit LineGift of Leslie Carr Miller Haas in memory of her aunt, Mary Louise Miller Barton
Object number1995.609.1
DescriptionThis is a bed quilt pieced in a pattern of 17 full and 6 half stars, each radiating from a 6-pointed center. The pieced stars are set against a quilted white ground. The stars are pieced from printed cottons with red, yellow, green, and blue predominating. The border is made up of white quilted cotton between straight rows of pieced triangles. It is quilted in 9-11 running stitches per inch and the quilting designs consist of turning leaves, flowers, and grape clusters, drawn with pencil. The quilting in the stars and triangles consists of narrow parallel lines. The white cotton backing is brought to front to form a one-fourth-inch narrow binding.
Label TextThis pieced quilt is notable for its eye-catching star pattern, which is enhanced by the brilliant, exceptionally unfaded condition of its printed fabric swatches. The quilt is signed and dated in quilting stitches, "H A RICHARDS 1840."

The daughter of Henry and Lydia Richards of Frederick County, Va., Harriet Ann probably created the quilt as part of her wedding trousseau. On September 20, 1842, she became the second wife of George R. Long. The quilt descended through their daughter's family until it was given to the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum in 1995.

The deftly executed stitches in this quilt form beautiful, intricate floral designs. Their original penciled guidelines are intact, the quilt having rarely if ever been washed.


InscribedSee Marks.
MarkingsInscribed in quilting stitches "H A [Richards]/ March 22/ 1[8]40"
ProvenanceThe quilt was found in 1988 in the attic of Mrs. Lewis Neil Barton (born Mary Louise Miller) (b. July 29, 1899 and d. 1988). Mary Barton Miller lived at 700 S. Stewart St., Winchester, Va. The Millers had lived in Winchester since before the Revolution, operating an apothecary there that later became Miller's Drug Store (no longer in business.) Mary Miller Barton was the aunt of Leslie Haas, the donor. Mrs. Haas provided genealogical research from the Winchester Public Library on Harriet Ann Richards, the presumed signer of the quilt. According to this research, Harriet Ann Richards (Dec. 29, 1821-July 25, 1869) was the daughter of Henry Richards and Lydia Russell. The quilt descended in the family to the donor. See full genealogical notes in object file.