Quilt, applique and stuffed work quilting
Dateca. 1850
MediumCotton
Dimensions93 inches square
Credit LineGift of the Valentine Museum, Richmond, VA
Object number2024-372
DescriptionSquare quilt of white cotton stuffed work quilting and 24 appliqued motifs composed of red and green diamonds on crossed stems. The crossed motifs resemble abstract 4-petal flowers at the center, from which emanate 4 straight stems with diamond-shaped leaves, each stem terminating in a red diamond-shaped flower bud. Red and green pieces consist of small-scale leavy and check prints. The appliqued quilt squares are quilted with parallel diagonal lines. The white squares between the appliqued squares consist of oval pointed leaflike motifs with raised and padded ("stuffed work") quilting. A wide border is quilted with multi-line cables. The running stitch quilting is worked at 8 to 9 stitches per inch in white thread. Coarser white cotton backing is brought to the front and stitched to form an edge finish. The quilt is signed on the front in ink reading "Lewis. R. Valentine July 11th [indecipherable date] / A. L. Carter. The quilt backing reveals small holes where the batting was stuffed into the pre-stitched raised work motifs.Label TextIn this quilt, precisely cut diamonds are appliqued to the surface to resemble flowers on straight stems crossed in a rigid pattern. The white areas between the colorful motifs are embellished with "stuffed work" quilting raised above the surface with extra padding pushed in from the back side to fill pre-stitched shapes. Small holes in the quilt backing reveal where the stuffing was inserted.ProvenanceDates unknown, ancestor of Hazel Eliza Higbee (Mrs. Earle Wilford) Gibbs [1898-1995] (Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia); dates unknown to 1975, Hazel Eliza Higbee Gibbs and her husband Earle W. Gibbs [1890-1976] (Richmond, VA); 1975, given to the Valentine Museum (Richmond, VA); 2024, given to Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, VA).
ca. 1860
1840-1880
1846 (dated)
ca. 1830
