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1880 - 1890 Martha Thomas's "Fan" Parlor Throw

American History Museum

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    Object Details

    maker

    Thomas, Martha Ada

    Description

    The fan motif, often found on crazy-patchwork, is the dominant pattern for the twenty-five, 10-inch blocks composed of a variety of silk, satin, velvet, and taffeta fabrics. Both machine and hand-stitched blocks are joined with a chain stitch by machine. The original binding or border was removed before it was donated to the Museum in 1963, by the Sewing Group, Emmanuel Episcopal Church.
    Martha Ada Mumma was born July 7, 1859. She married Jacob Emmanuel Thomas (1852-1908) in 1879. They were both born and married in Washington County, Md., and later lived in Baltimore, where their two sons were born. Martha died in Maryland in 1943. Her parlor throw is an example of late 19th-century needlework, exhibiting both hand and machine stitching.

    Location

    Currently not on view

    Credit Line

    Gift of the Sewing Group, Emmanuel Episcopel Church

    date made

    1880-1890

    ID Number

    TE.T12914

    accession number

    245859

    catalog number

    T12914

    Object Name

    quilt
    Throw, Pieced
    Lace

    Physical Description

    fabric, silk, satin, velvet, taffeta (overall material)
    thread; cotton, silk (overall material)
    quilting (overall production method/technique)

    Measurements

    overall: 52 in x 52 in; 131 cm x 131 cm
    overall: 52 1/2 in x 51 in; 133.35 cm x 129.54 cm

    place made

    United States: Maryland
    United States: Maryland, Sharpsburg

    See more items in

    Home and Community Life: Textiles
    Textiles
    Domestic Furnishings
    Quilts

    Data Source

    National Museum of American History

    Subject

    Quilting

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b4-9c1b-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

    Record ID

    nmah_556411

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