Quilt, Whole Cloth
Date1900-1920
Possibly by
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Wheeless Shaifer
American, 1866 - 1953
MediumCotton
Dimensions72 x 79 inches
Credit LineGift of The Children of Elizabeth Shaifer Hollingsworth - Allison Shaifer Hollingsworth Moxey, Ann Davidson Hollingsworth Weeden and Christopher Alton Hollingsworth, and The Children of Sanfrid Davidson Shaifer - Mary Laura Shaifer Bell, Jodie Stovall Shaifer Huddleston and Sanfrid Davidson Shaifer, Jr.
Object number2025.609.37
DescriptionRectangular whole cloth quilt machine quilted in a pattern of angled diamonds. On one side is purple-red cotton printed in a design of narrow abstract floral stripes of varying sized dots. On the other side is a blue ground cotton of dotted stripes alternating with small flower heads joined on curved stems. Medium-thick batting. Edges are finished by bringing the purple-red textile to the blue side, where it is folded over and machine stitched. One corner of quilt has a tape tag machine sewn to the quilt with inked inscription “Edgar D. Shaifer.”Label TextThis quilt is part of a large donation of quilts by the Shaifer family of Claiborne County, MS. These 46 quilts were made by women from four successive generations of the family, dating from the mid-1800s to the 1980s.Elizabeth "Lizzie" Wheeless Shaifer (1866-1953) was an avid quilter, but her quilting took a pause in the early decades of the 20th century, as she raised five children. However, she still found time to quilt several projects- including this whole cloth quilt, stitched with the name of her son, Edgar Daniel Shaifer (1889-1946).ProvenanceDates unknown, unidentified maker, (Claiborne County, MS); dates unknown, Edgar Daniel Shaifer [1889-1946] (Claiborne and Jefferson Counties, MS); dates unknown, descended in the family to Elizabeth Shaifer (Mrs. Al) Hollingsworth [1933-2016] (Claiborne County, MS); date unknown, Al Hollingsworth (Claiborne County, MS); 2025, given to Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, VA)
ca. 1880
1760-1770
ca. 1875