Baltimore Album Quilt: Part II
Additional Information
about $58,000 Quilt and Photos
written by Patricia Cummings
photos formatted for the web by
James Cummings
Photographer: John Glenfield
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In response to the
many letters we received after uploading a file entitled, “Baltimore Album
Quilts Sells for $58,000.” we have decided to provide additional photos. The
other file was too full to consider adding more load time to that one, so we
are posting a second article.
Above, lovely pink, red,
and white roses and stylized morning glory flowers spring from a vase made
from blue ombre fabric while a multi-colored, moth-like, butterfly, and a
pink-bodied hummingbird descend toward the blooms. Notice that the wings of
the bird and the upper wings of the butterfly are both constructed with
brown ombre fabric. Some of the leaves, that are composed of both brown and
green, also feature the same color.
The technique of
reverse appliqué is used to delineate the petals of the sole, red, rose.
Brown ink has been applied to portray rose thorns, and details of the rose
buds. In the center of the block, a yellow flower provides a bright spot.
The color is repeated, to a small degree, in the butterfly, the bird, and
for the centers of some of the roses. Note the little four-petal flower in
the center of the yellow rose. It matches the spray at the bottom left, and
you will see it reoccur in subsequent blocks shown here.
Tied Bouquet
The tied bouquet
is very unusual in that it is not contained
within a vase or urn, as is usually the case. Again, the white, gauze-like,
transparent roses appear.
Those same, small,
four petal, beige flowers that were seen at the bottom left of the previous
block, are on view here again, at the top, sans foliage.
Blue ombre fabric
has been employed in this block for some of the flowers and for the “ribbon”
which holds the three stems together. There is a nice balance of visual
weight to this block which seems to be cemented into place by the largest
rose that is located at the lower center. The curved leaves are dramatic and
give the block a sense of high style.
Beribboned Basket
Block
Shaded, brown,
ombre fabric is again on call here in this
beautiful basket. Notice the little beige flowers yet again, on the lower
far right. They seem to have been a perennial favorite in the quilter's
flower arrangements. Repetition of even small design elements aid in giving
continuity to an art object, and that is exactly what this quilt is: art. In
William Rush Dunton's book, Old Quilts, he makes reference to the
term "peasant art." If this is an example of peasant art, then we need more
peasants!
Bird with Olive
Branch
Have you noticed a
trend yet? In this block, we again see the
use of white roses that are transparent, reverse appliqué for the solid
fabric, red rose, brown ombre fabric for the entire bird and that same
recurrent pink chintz fabric that is added as an accent to the rose at
center bottom. We also see more reverse appliqué here at the far right, top.
Curiously, there is one blue leaf included among all the other green leaves
in the sprig that the bird is carrying. Did that have any symbolic
significance to the quilter, or did she just run out of green fabric?
Cornucopia
Another cornucopia
(of four) contains inked rosebuds, the use of both pink and red colors
together in the same rosebud, a
red rose whose petals are made by use of reverse appliqué, and which has a
yellow center, brown ombre fabric, and yellow used as an accent color
throughout. Notice the heart shape flowers on the left. They also utilize
portions of the pink chintz, with lines, that is repeated in many of the
quilts' blocks.
Grapes/Oak Leaves
Block
A partial wreath
is composed of (split) oak leaves, and bunches of grapes, often a symbol of
Christ, that was added by the Methodist women who primarily made these
Baltimore Album quilts, that were often signed.
The block has an
autumn look except for the isolated pair of roses and flowers that appear in
the center. The three-loop bow, accented with the little beige flower again,
in the bow's center, is a customary motif of designer, Mary Simon.
Harp Block
The harp is
certainly a common design element of Baltimore
Album quilts. This block is unusual because of its many dark blue roses.
Again, we see the repeated use of brown ombre fabric in the harp itself, one
gauze-like rose, and the same recurrent, little four petal beige flower,
used this time for the centers of five of the roses that are presented in
deep pink, blue, yellow, and white.
One of the most
interesting parts of examining the overall quilt is to see how the quilter
adapted the same fabric to different uses. The skill used in making this
quilt is impressive by anyone's standards.
The Readers' Turn
Ideas About the
“Waltham Finish” Stamp
In the meantime,
several readers have weighed in on the question of the mysterious mark on
the back of the quilt, “Waltham Finish.” Joan Kiplinger says this, “I have a
hunch this was a slight calendering or glaze given to muslin to give it a
sheen or low luster, as many early muslins had that type of finish.”
She adds that the
name “Waltham” could refer to the person who developed the finish, the name
of the mill, the converter. In researching her upcoming book on Indian Head
cloth, the name “Waltham” kept reappearing. She further states: In 1814, the
Boston Manufacturing Company,
spearheaded by Francis Cabot Lowell, his brother in law, Patrick Tracy
Jackson, and business associate, Nathan Appleton, was the first to
successfully gather all the steps of converting raw wool into cloth into one
operation under one roof in Waltham, Massachusetts. It was often referred to
as the Waltham Plan or the Waltham textile factory system.
Rachael Kinnison,
owner of the Lady's Repository Museum of Fashion in southern Colorado, said
this, “About the stamp on the back of the MacCullough block, I'm pretty sure
it is a mill mark~ these were common on cottons at the beginning/end of a
bolt, for identification. This could be a very valuable mark, if original
(I'm not exactly sure where the placement is), one could research this mill,
and find out where the backing fabric came from.”
Credits
The same thank-you's
are in place for this second part of the article, as for the first. John
Glenfield took some great photos, and (the now "late")Jeanne Glenfield was thoughtful enough
to send them. It is wonderful to have people in our lives who bring out the
best in us, and believe in what we can do. Thanks, to Jeanne, for having been a
supportive friend.
Thanks also to
Joan Kiplinger and to Rachael Kennison for their prompt responses about
"Waltham Finish."
Thanks to Jim
Cummings for his patient work with all of these photos, adjusting them so
that they appear to their best advantage. He is a tireless friend and
helpmate. I appreciate all that he does.
In the field of
textiles, we are all students. Only through our collective sharing can we
begin to know and understand the high standards that were set forth
centuries ago, for quilters of today.
Other Articles of Interest
Visit our other
articles on Baltimore Quilt history:
Baltimore Album Quilts: Timeless
Beauties
Baltimore Album Quilt Sells
for $58,000.
Baltimore Album Quilt-picture of the
whole quilt.
To see some
newly-made quilts in the Baltimore Album style please see this
show review for "A
Quilter's Gathering" - 2005.
All information on
this website is copyrighted. Please seek permission before "usurping" anything
for your own use. Write to: pat@quiltersmuse.com
Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, NH.
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