Pieced Quilt
- Date
- 1850–60
- Material
- Silk
- made in
- United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Coverings & hangings, textiles
- Collection
- Decorative Arts and Design
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 85 x 87 in. (215.9 x 221 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Mrs. Harry Langenberg
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 266:1948
NOTES
This quilt features two motifs popular in the mid-19th century: the eight-pointed star in the center is the “Star of Bethlehem” pattern, and the “Mariner’s Compass” is seen in each corner. The quilt is in excellent condition because it was a silk “show quilt,” made to display the skills of its maker rather than for everyday use. The Star of Bethlehem requires advanced needlework skills to accurately sew the silk pieces together to complete the pattern. The Mariner’s Compass is also difficult due to its combination of sharp points and curved piecing set within a square.
A note on the back of the quilt states that it is made of 3,632 pieces of silk. It was cut, arranged, and quilted in seven weeks by Susan F. Wyman, when she 71, as a present for her daughter, Rebecca H. W. Morton. At the time, Wyman lived in Hillsboro, Illinois, about 60 miles northeast of St. Louis.
A note on the back of the quilt states that it is made of 3,632 pieces of silk. It was cut, arranged, and quilted in seven weeks by Susan F. Wyman, when she 71, as a present for her daughter, Rebecca H. W. Morton. At the time, Wyman lived in Hillsboro, Illinois, about 60 miles northeast of St. Louis.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.