Quilt, Appliquéd with Tree and Birds

Date1840-1880

OriginAmerica, Pennsylvania, Lancaster County (possibly)

MediumCottons with cotton and silk supplemental embroidery

DimensionsOverall: 83 x 74in. (210.8 x 188cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1979.609.1

DescriptionThis appliqued quilt is composed of three sections; a square center, an inner border, and an outer border. The square center is one piece measuring 32 1/2" square. It features a central motif of three large brown and red birds perched on a brown tree with red and yellow fruit. Framing the central motif in each corner is a red and orange geometric sunburst motif. The inner border measures 11-11 1/2" deep and each side consists of red and brown birds flanking a small tree-like motif with red and orange fruit. Anchoring the corners of the inner border is the same small tree-like motif. This use of a stylized bird and treelike foliage is similar to the distlefink and hom (goldfinch, or thistle finch, and tree of life) motif. The outer border measures 9 1/2" deep on the sides, 11 1/2" deep at the bottom, and 14 3/4' deep at the top. It features an applique design of a thick, twining grape vine; one leaf and one spray of grapes repeat throughout, with grapes being on the outside of the vine along the edges of the quilt and leaves (except at the four corners) being on the inside of the vine. The vine and leaves are a bluish-green, the grapes are a deep purplish-blue. Some of the appliqued motifs, such as the grapes and large berries/fruit, are stuffed. Providing additional dimension are the finely embroidered veins in the leaves and details in the bird's tails, feet, eyes, and combs.
The backing consists of five pieced sections of a coarse, plain-weave white cotton whose selvages, where intact, measure 29 inches. The top ground consists of thirteen pieced sections of a somewhat finer, plain-weave white cotton. All fabrics are solids. The quilt is bound in a one-fourth-inch wide binding of plain-woven cotton. The quilting pattern in 9 running stitches per inch consists of a single row of outline stitching around each applique, with an overall grid of squares set on the diagonal filing the remainder of the background.

Stitches: chain, knot, blanket, satin
Label TextThe maker's careful planning of this quilt is reflected in the consistency of its fabric selections and in its ordered layout: two motifs from the central medallion were picked up and alternately repeated to form an inner border, each motif being strategically placed to fill its allotted space.
The outer border's rhythmic regularity, subtle color play, and contrasting densities of leaves and grapes turn a commonplace edging motif into a visual delight. The designer's adroit solution for filling the empty corners of the quilt also deserves mention: only there do the heavy border leaves fall to the outside of the vine, thereby anchoring the design and drawing attention to the cover's outermost edges.
Embroidery forms the fine details of the birds' tails, feet, eyes, and combs and the stems of the grapes and leaves.
ProvenanceThe quilt was owned by Mary Schlichter, Pa. or Va.; Joyce Bowes, Lancaster, Pa.; unidentified antiques dealer(s); Frank Ganci, Schooleys Mountain, N. J.; and fiinally Pottinger-Walters Antiques, Goshen, Ind.