Let's Compare

Four chintz medallions attributed to Achsah Goodwin Wilkins

There are at least three finished chintz medallions with the same design as the one I have, including mine. A fourth one appears unfinished in Dr. William Rush Dunton's 1946 book, Old Quilts. A fifth one shares many similarities, but also some key differences.

Mine is the middle in size of the three completed medallions that match

Let's start with mine. It is the middle in size of the three completed medallions that match in design. Its size is 10'2" x 9'2". It has a fruit border on three sides, bouquets in two corners along the edge with no border, and a complete medallion with a circle of swags framing the design. The chintz has either lost its yellow dye, or never had it to begin with. Based on other examples, it may be reasonable to say it originally had yellow in the printed chintz. This example was not documented by Dr. Dunton.

The "Lassotovitch quilt" - owned by the Lassotovitch family

The closest match is the one we're calling the "Lassotovitch quilt" because it was owned by the Lassotovitch family when Dunton published his book. It appears in color in Dena Katzenberg's Baltimore Album Quilts book, which was published in 1980. Most everything is a match except the overall size, the color of the chintz, and the motifs inside the small circle of swags which surround the center panel. This example is 9'2" x 10'6". It has the same fruit border and all the other elements match except for those inside the small circle of swags surrounding the center panel. In this one, there are birds and butterflies. In mine, there are peaches and pineapples.

The "Thompson quilt"

The third example is one we're calling the "Thompson quilt" because it was owned by the Thompson family when Dunton's book was published. This one is 9'4" x 9'10" - the smallest of the three completed examples with designs that match. Inside the center circle of small flags are different motifs, which appear to be bunches of fruit and flowers. It's difficult to tell because of the size of the plate, but these shapes do not match those in the other two medallions.

The "Hammond quilt" - incomplete, but same design

The fourth one is incomplete, but looks like it was going to be another of the same overall design. We're calling it the "Hammond quilt" because it was owned by the Hammond family when Dunton published his book. No dimensions were recorded, and it was in pieces with chintz basted or pinned to the ground. There are some interesting notes from Dunton, who says, "From it we gain a good idea as to how these ornaments were built up, and especially, how the graceful vine of the Lassotovitch coverlet was formed."

The "Glenn quilt" shares similarities and differences

A fifth example seems to share enough similarities to make it worth mentioning. We're calling it the "Glenn quilt" because it was owned by the Glenn family when Dunton's book was published. According to Dunton, the border was cut off some time prior to 1932 so the quilt would fit a modern bed, and the leftover chintz was used to decorate curtains. He says, "Despite its mutilation it is beautiful, and now measures 7'4 & 1/4" x 8'." Aside from the lack of border, the most obvious difference is the incomplete outer circle of the medallion. There are two large swags at top, but these swags do not continue around the sides and bottom. To my eye, it looks like an experiment- less resolved, and perhaps an earlier version.

Before I saw the full view of my medallion, I was hoping it would be like the Lassotovitch and Thompson quilts because this design is my favorite of all the medallions attributed to Achsah Wilkins. At first, we thought it was the Lassotovitch quilt, but the color didn't seem right, and the fruit inside the small swags wasn't a match to the birds and butterflies in the Lassotovitch quilt. That quilt is thought to have remained with the family. We knew it wasn't the Thompson quilt because the border fabric wasn't a match.

By the way, these families that owned the Achsah Wilkins quilts were all descendants of her father, William Goodwin, and it is likely the quilts that are in locations unknown to us are could still be in the family.