Nine-patch Postage Stamp quilt

Unknown

ca. 1920 · Cotton, silk, and wool · The American Wing

While the basic pattern elements in this quilt are common, the way they have been composed together makes this quilt extraordinary. It was created by a quiltmaker with an unusually sophisticated eye. At first glance, the center area appears a little chaotic, with all the different fabrics in tiny pieces. But with close looking, the viewer is rewarded by figuring out the well-planned nine-patch design. The star border is very precise and regimented in relation to the nine-patch center, and the wide black and white calico border is a somber frame that contains all of the movement of the pieced areas. It is very well crafted, and in almost pristine condition. "Postage stamp" quilts like this one, in which most of the pieces of fabric are less than an inch square, were made to show the tenacity and dedication of a quilter, and sometimes were even produced for competitions at local fairs. They were particularly in fashion in the early decades of the twentieth century.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1920

Medium

Cotton, silk, and wool

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Penny Nii, 2020