Thursday, June 14, 2012

still speechless


So, I'm still speechless about this great old quilt top. I've been looking in Trestain's Dating Fabrics book, and not making it too far into the book with these absolutely amazing fabrics. Here are some more pictures.












For me, all signs seem to be pointing to the 1830s. I thought some of the reds might be as late as 1840, but now that I'm looking at them again, they look earlier. From mid New York state. Would you call it an Irish Chain, Steeplechase, or Four-Patch Nine-Patch? And what do you think about the date?

19 comments:

  1. absolutely beautiful....wow I wish I could order a bolt of many of these fabrics !!!!
    thanks for sharing the close ups
    what a treasure .....
    don't you love that some of the little patches are pieced together?
    I do.
    Kathie

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  2. Truly amazing! I can't even imagine fabrics, much less a quilt that old surviving and being in this good of shape! I do have one from my husband's grandmother's quilts..but I have almost no info on it and it's pretty much in tatters! But, oh how I love these old quilts and only wish I knew their inner secrets and all of the stories they could tell!

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    1. You can find tops in mint condition sometimes because they were stashed away, not used, protected. This one was apparently stashed in a very safe place for a long, long time.

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  3. I would call it 4 patch in a 9 patch. I think you are correct about the dates, ca. 1830. It really is beautiful and in fantastic condition.

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  4. Thanks so much for the up close and personal shots of these fabrics! From the first picture the other day I thought 1830s, still think so from the Trestain book and these shots. I would love yards of the light background fabrics--on second thought, I want it all!

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    1. I agree, and need to go back and read that section so I can better articulate it. There's a quality to the printing, the design, and the colors. It's not the same quality as late 19th century fabrics.

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  5. My first thoughts were 1840's. Some AWESOME prints in there!

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    1. I'd thought that, too, but when I looked at the reds again I realized they were more like pre-1830s reds.

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  6. my heart has skipped a beat or two! thanks for sharing those pics! I will have to come back again and again to gaze in awe! Not savvy enough to comment on what's what, tho. even the plain muslin or linen speaks to me...

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  7. Quite a treasure you have there!...Im with you on the date...1830-40, there is such a great variety in there it must be difficult to take it all in
    So glad to see a top like this go to someone who knows its value and not someone who will cut it up and make "craft projects" ;)

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    1. The appraiser in me wants to be conservative and push it in to the 1840s. It's just that the fabrics haven't done that, so far. Many of them, I'm finding, are actually pre 1830s. A Facebook friend said she'd love to hand quilt it, and that made me think about you as well. For just a moment, I imagined how good a job you would do. Then I realized I like seeing the backs of the fabric so much, I could never have it finished.

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    2. the hand quilter in me would love to have a go at quilting it (I was thinking of quilting patterns as soon as I saw it) but as you say that prevents seeing the back of the fabric which I know is a part of appreciating and evaluating the fabric...and some tops probably should be left as is...this being a prime example

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  8. Drooling over here! FANTASTIC FABRICS!

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    1. More like hyperventilating for me, at least when I first opened the box.

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  9. STUNNING. I slobbered on my computer screen, truly. That is a gem - how did you come across it????

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    1. I bought another great old quilt top from the same dealer last year, so when he got this one, he was very thoughtful and asked if I wanted it. As far as I know, it wasn't offered to the general public.

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  10. What elegant prints. The air just got sucked out of the room, as I scrolled down the screen.
    Thank you for sharing this treasure with us.

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