Search Results:

Viewing Record 1 of 1
 


Maker(s):Ely, Hadassah Chapin
Culture:face fabric: English; quilting: American
Title:quilt
Date Made:1760-1800
Type:Bedding
Materials:textile: blue twill weave wool (shalloon); wool batting; silk; cotton
Place Made:face fabric: United Kingdom; England; quilting: United States; New England; backing: New England or England
Measurements:overall: 92 in x 90 in; 233.68 cm x 228.6 cm
Accession Number:  HD 2009.4
Credit Line:Hall and Kate Peterson Fund for Minor Antiques
Museum Collection:  Historic Deerfield
2009-4.jpg

Description:
Wholecloth blue, glazed twill-weave wool (shalloon) quilt. The face is made up of four widths of the shalloon; three panels approx. 25" wide, and a fourth approx. 12" wide. The face is stitched in an all-over quilted design (in running stitch) of bold flowers, spatulate leaves, meandering vines, and a pineapple-like central motif; a pieced upper (proper) right corner added later; three panels of plain-weave yellow-dyed wool backing; and undyed wool batting. In the 18th century, a plain weave wool with glaze was referred to as a tammy; a twill weave wool with glaze, a shalloon; a 4:1 broken twill weave (aka the shortest float satin weave), a calamanco; and a plain weave wool with no glaze was referred to as a camblet. The quilting design, consisting of scrolling measndering floral designs, was stitched using a now faded, blue worsted thread; the quilted background of diagonal, evenly spaced lines helps to make the primary design come alive. According to family tradition, this quilt was owned by Hadassah Chapin Ely (1767-1808), born in Springfield, Massachusetts, who was a direct descendent of Deacon Samuel Chapin (1598-1675), an early settler of Springfield. However, it is not known whether she was also involved in creating the quilt as textiles were often handed down through female members of the family. Hadassah married Elihu Ely (1767-1822) of West Springfield in 1785, where they lived and had 11 children. The quilt went to their youngest daughter, Hadassah Ely (1808-1884), and then to her niece Harriet Brownell Robbins, who gave it to her daughters, Harriet Robbins Hillyear and Helen Louise Robbins. These two sister loaned the quilt to the Old Day House built in 1754 in West Springfield and now a museum. There was also a photocopy of the history of the quilt from the museum, with an additional inscription: "Hadassah Chapin when a girl, was farmed out with the Day family in West Springfield." Wholecloth quilts, named for their use of whole widths of fabric to construct the tops, were a common type of bedcovering made and used in New England during the 18th century. Quilts such as this outstanding example not only provided warmth, but also displayed the skill of the woman or women who stitched the pattern. Derived from England, New England whole cloth quilting patterns developed their own unique designs by the middle of the century, and appear much more frequently than imported versions. Although out of fashion by the end of the 18th century, these kinds of quilts were made and used well into the 19th century. Some point after its initial creation, the quilt was edged all around in blue satin ribbon (removed after conservation in 2009), and hung from a series of loops across the back. At least one edge of the quilt has been hemmed, probably when hung. Quilts similar to this example exist in The Winterthur Museum (1960.0702), Historic New England (1942.1120), and the Connecticut Historical Society (1952.76.0). More research needs to be done to see if the quilting of the latter two could be by the same maker as Historic Deerfield's example. The glazed wool face shows evidence of "lines" or concertina-like folding of the wool fabric into the press where it was subjected to extreme pressure and heat through the press boards. Cleaning eliminates the glaze, but the press folds remain. Winterthur Museum has tested some glazed worsted fabrics, and the presence of an additonal substance such as gum has been detected in some samples suggesting that glazing may have occasionally required more than just heat and pressure of the press. While serving a decorative purpose, glazing might also have added some degree of protection for the face fabric against stains or soiling. Often, when the quilting thread was the same color as the face, the quilting could have been done from the reverse side to better see the stitches. This can be determined sometimes if the quilting stiches are slightly shorter on one side than on the other.

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2009.4

Research on objects in the collections, including provenance, is ongoing and may be incomplete. If you have additional information or would like to learn more about a particular object, please email fc-museums-web@fivecolleges.edu.

9 Related Media Items

2009-4.jpg
2009-4.jpg
2009-4.jpg
2009-4_back_detail-01.jpg
2009-4.jpg
2009-4_back.jpg
2009-4.jpg
2009-4_detail-006.jpg
2009-4.jpg
2009-4_detail-005.jpg
2009-4.jpg
2009-4_detail-004.jpg
2009-4.jpg
2009-4_detail-003.jpg
2009-4.jpg
2009-4_detail-002.jpg
2009-4.jpg
2009-4_detail-001.jpg
Viewing Record 1 of 1