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1850 - 1890 Mary Matthews Album Quilt

American History Museum

1850-1890 Mary Matthews Album Quilt
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  • 1850-1890 Mary Matthews Album Quilt
  • 1850-1890 Mary Matthews Album Quilt, detail

    Object Details

    maker

    unknown

    Description

    Album quilt made by friends and family for Mary Matthews to take with her on her sojourn as a missionary and teacher in Macedonia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The quilt consists of 25 blocks (approx. 12” x 13”) with pink sashing (2 ¾” wide) and pink and white border (1”, 1”, and 1 ¼” wide). The pieced and appliqued blocks, filling, and lining are all cotton. The blocks are mainly variations on patterns found on many album quilts of the period. The quilt was assembled for Mary Louisa Matthews who in 1888 went to Monastir (Bitola) Macedonia as a missionary, teaching at American School for Girls. Each block is inscribed with the name of a family member or friend. A few have religious inscriptions or poetry. One particular block is unusual, an appliqued Pythagorean Theorem.

    Location

    Currently not on view

    Credit Line

    Gift of Virginia Capan and Shahnaz Sahnow

    date made

    1850 - 1890

    ID Number

    2019.0246.01

    accession number

    2019.0246

    catalog number

    2019.0246.01

    Object Name

    quilt

    Physical Description

    cotton (overall material)

    Measurements

    overall: 81 in x 79 in; 206 cm x 201 cm

    place made

    United States: Missouri, New York

    See more items in

    Home and Community Life: Textiles
    Religion
    Textiles
    Domestic Furnishings

    Data Source

    National Museum of American History

    Subject

    Quilting
    Missions

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b5-0892-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

    Record ID

    nmah_1969454

    Discover More

    star quit with shades of red and pink

    American Quilts: Art and Craft

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