Strippy Flying Geese/Bird Toile Quilt 72 w X 85 h. English blue/white cotton copperplate printed toile with 36 inch high repeat. To show scale, the first picture showing the pair of ducks is an 8.5 X 11 scan.
It was hard to see any detail from auction photo so it was quite wonderful to visit with my new feathered friends when they flew in. I have to wonder if the quiltmaker had a sense of humor pairing flying geese strips with the bird toile? The toile is in good/very good condition but the flying geese are suffering from the usual early brown mordant damage. Backing is cotton, dark blue/white small scale woven check.
This toile was printed from about 1780 to 1820. See
Art of the Needle, Quilts from the Shelburne Museum, page 30-31 for their 'Pheasant and Mandarin Duck Motif' whole cloth quilt dated 1810 made from the same toile. You can really see the toile as the whole quilt is shown and a full page detail photo. If anyone has more information on this fabric, please let me know.
Thanks for posting. You will be entered in my drawing for free fabric. Check back on May 14th when I'll posted the winner's name.
ReplyDeleteSandra
Such a treasure. Sorry I don't have more information on the fabric for you. Loved your comments about Lowell also. I went there a few years ago with Kim Wulfert on her Quilter's Tour of New England. We also visited the Shelburne; so many quilts, so little time.
ReplyDeleteAudrey Waite from the red rocks of Sedona, AZ