Quilt
PeriodCirca 1880-1890
Place MadeNew Jersey, U.S.A.
MediumSilk, cotton, cotton velvet, silk brocade
Dimensions65.5 × 64.75 in. (166.4 × 164.5 cm)
ClassificationsQuilts and Coverlets
Credit LineMuseum Collection, 1974
Object numberT1974.25
DescriptionA pieced quilt in the Sunshine and Shadows variation of the Log Cabin pattern. The quilt is of various silks, both solids and patterned, in dark shades of black, brown, green, red, blue, yellow, purple, and gray, and light shades of pink, sky blue, white, tan, and pale yellow, all with black centers. The squares are straight set, ten by ten blocks with no sashing or edging. The back of the quilt is silk, with front and back edges folded together to form seam. The thin batting is of cotton.Curatorial RemarksIt is not unusual to find quilts which were left unfinished for a variety of reasons, then finished later by family descendants. This is one such example. The fabrics appear to date over a twenty to thirty year period, and assembled in the very late 19th century. The wool binding seems to have been added in the 1940s or even 1950s.NotesThis beautifully arranged and well-made Sunshine and Shadows is a mystery. It entered the collection sometime in the 1960s with the handwritten note "Last one of four silk quilts, she made for the family at different times. This one she did not finish lining and as we had others, this has been taken from the treasure chest just to admire until now when I am lining & finishing it for you, Mother's Christmas." The woman who created this is unidentified, but is believed to be from the Monmouth County area.
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