Twelve Quilts of Christmas 2020 – #5
Update: 18 Dec 2020. Now held in the collection of the Denver Art Museum. A gift in 2008 from Guido Goldman, collection number 2008.406.
It is held in the collection with the following information:
Competition Quilt, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (uncertain), c. 1895, 70″ x 66″, Maker unknown. Tag at bottom right corner reads: #51 Quilt 70″ x 66″.
If quilt #2 this year was “Wow”, this quilt is “Woozer”!
Where do I start? The varying sizes of half square triangles that are used in different borders? That first border with the diamonds, carefully alternating colours in each one to advantage? Those teeny tiny dogteeth in the second border or the tiny sawtooth pieces in the third? That zig zag in the next one is sublime, but it’s those four patches in the corner of that border that have me swooning. Can you find the blue and black pinwheels?
As you look at the half square triangles in each of the borders can you imagine her order of piecing? Was this a “pocket project”? Bits of fabric in an apron pocket sewn together in stolen moments of time? That one dogtooth border whose red triangles point inwards, defying established pattern. Could you do that?
And again, we find vertical asymmetry and the addition of that top border. Are you seeing a trend here? Will I find this detail on your next quilt?
Delicious, delicious, delicious! My small piece loving heart is bursting!
Many times, I can follow the path of custodianship that a quilt has travelled, following it as it went over the years from named private collection to auction to museum. This one evades me. The only listing I could find placed this quilt in “Private Collection” and yet I feel as if in my online travels I have seen it listed somewhere else. If someone knows more about this quilt’s whereabouts, please let us know in the comments below.
Update 18 December 2020: from reader Laura Lane. This quilt is now held in the Denver Art Museum and was the gracious gift of Guido Goldman. A fascinating man whom you will want to read about here in this New York Times article. Thank you Laura! I love this community!!
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Thank you for this treat on my birthday! This one makes my heart sing.
You are very welcome. And Happy Birthday Amy!
Now in the Denver Art Museum collection. Gift of Guido Goldman in 2008. BTW: Goldman passed away last month.
And this is why I love this community. Thank you so much Laura for this information.
We are very sorry for the loss of Mr. Goldman and so grateful for his passion and appreciation for quilts.
I love this quilt! Years ago, I started to try to replicate it but unfortunately, it didn’t get very far.
It is such a stunner isn’t it. Amazing that you headed down that path of replicating it. Maybe you have a mini-quilt now?
This is my favorite quilt of all times. I have seen it many times over the course of years, and it makes my heart race with joy every time.
“Race with joy” … a very fitting description!
I can’t decide what my favorite part of this quilt is….maybe it’s those tiny pinwheels or the nine-patches in the corners, or those itty-bitty 25-patch corners on the final borders, or maybe it’s the way the half square triangles angle to the right or the left….or maybe the abundance of orange and red! I just can’t decide….but it’s magnificent!
Oh Regan, on this one I am just going with all of it! All of it is my favourite! You are so right, it is magnificent!
Wow, this is a wonderful quilt. The info says it was made for a competition, I wonder what competition, it would be amazing to see the winner! Having hand pieced several quilts I do appreciate the time and effort to make this quilt. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Barb, As Laura has also mentioned, I am not sure it was a specific competition, but I do not doubt that her community took note of it. Sue Reich in her book “Quilting News of Yesteryear: 1000 pieces and counting” has researched newspaper articles about quilts and there was quite the “competition” in the late 1800’s to make a quilt with the most pieces and there would be articles in newspapers stating, “Mrs. X finished a quilt with 6,542 pieces in it …” I go into a bit more depth on this part of quilt history in my lecture on Small Piece Quilts. There were some fascinating stories and impressive accomplishments!
I’m not sure there was a competition. I think quilters competed to see how many pieces they could put in a quilt. I think it was bragging rights! We have a quilt at the New England Quilt Museum with over 19,000 pieces. The quilter wrote the number on the back. It is currently on display until December 30th.
Laura exactly. Sue Reich’s book talked about this. The newspaper accounts were delightful to read. Is that quilt viewable online? It sounds extraordinary!
Those 4 patch, 25 patch, etc, blocks used in the corners have a way of softening the otherwise more rigid geometric corners which may give this quilt a softer look – especially in the first few borders. For me this makes it easier to view. Yes, I am coming late to your Christmas gift but I now have time to savor all the comments which help me look at the quilt in depth.