Images(5)

Quilt, Pieced Mariner's Compass

Date1845-1855

Artist/Maker Clarissa Dodge Marschalk

Maker Margaret Dodge Marschalk Sutton (1826 - 1907)

OriginAmerica, New York, New York City, Brooklyn

MediumPlain and printed cottons with chintz border

DimensionsOH: 100 1/4" x OW: 98 3/4" (254.6 cm x 250.8 cm) These are the "tallest" and "widest" points of the quilt: R side and bottom edge. This assumes that the upper left corner contains a compass of dark brown printed points interleaved with points of royal blue, yellow and flower print.

Credit LineGift of Robert W. Pitt

Object number1972.609.1

DescriptionThis is an almost-square pieced quilt of plain and printed textiles in a design usually known as "Mariner's Compass". Each block contains a 32 point compass within a quilted circle, with the quilting extending to the four corners. The 16 blocks are separated by four-inch bands of glazed chintz. A wide border of glazed chintz quilted in a diamond pattern forms the outside edge of the quilt. The points of the compass are quilted in with triangles and have large circles quilted around them. Most of the printed material is patterned with roses; there is one rose pattern in the border chintz, another rose pattern in the points of the compass, and a third rose pattern in the center of the compasses. The quilt is a combination of patchwork and applique. The dominant colors are muted reds and browns. The backing consists of three pieces of unbleached plain weave cotton with selvages, where intact, measuring 36 1/4- inches. The quilting was hand worked about twelve running stitches to the inch in doubled concentric circles around each mariner's compass, in diamond shapes in the outer border, in overlapping doubled circles in the sashing, and in doubled outlining within the larger compass points. A patterned-woven tape is stitched over the quilt's outer edges.
Label TextTraditionally, covers composed of similar starburst designs are described as "Mariner's Compass quilts," even when their stars contain less than the requisite thirty-two points marked on nautical instruments. The pieced compasses or stars in this particular example do consist of 32 points apiece and represent many patient hours of fitting and stitching. The colors of the appliqued glazed chintz border blend sympathetically with those comprising the stars while simultaneously adding a totally different surface design.
MarkingsA printed calling card for Mrs. Louise Marschalk Chapman was pinned to the quilt when the object was acquired; the reverse of the card bears the ink script inscription "Designed and made/one hundred years/ago by Clarissa Dodge/Marschalk and left/to/Louise Marschalk Chapman."
ProvenanceThe quilt descended from the maker Margaret Dodge Marschalk Sutton (1826-1907) to her daughter Louise Marschalk Sutton (b. 1871). The quilt descended through Louise to a great-grandson of Margaret's, Robert W. Pitt, who donated it to the museum.