August 3 – 9, 2000
These restored messages come from the Quilt History List, an online forum where quilt historians, collectors, researchers, appraisers, and enthusiasts discussed antique quilts and related textiles. The archive dates from 1996 through approximately 2016 and is being restored gradually. Sign up in the form at the bottom of the page if you want to know when a new page is added. Original spelling, opinions, formatting, and inactive links may remain unchanged.
Primary topics of this QHL Digest:
- Smithsonian Conditions, Revisited — A museum-side perspective on quilt storage conditions responds to the prior week’s thread, continuing the Smithsonian access discussion.
- Reproduction and Off-Shore Quilts on eBay — A member flags an eBay vendor apparently using a published Hawaiian-quilt book as a design source for new reproduction quilts.
- Quilt Odyssey and Amish Quilt Exhibit Reports — Attendees report back from the new Quilt Odyssey show in Gettysburg and an Amish quilt exhibit at the University of Michigan Art Museum.
- Identifying Fabric Colors and Makers — Members work through what ‘Lancaster blue’ and related historic fabric color names refer to, and background on the T.S.&G. textile maker mark.
- Online Quilt Auction Launch — A member previews a new dedicated online quilt auction site, promising more details once the servers are ready.
- A Nineteenth-Century Quilt Attributed to Harriet Carpenter — Discussion of graphic pictorial quilts pictured in a recently published book on quilting traditions.
Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2000 22:41:51 EDT | From: StanfieldA
I find it necessary again to present a museum perspective re the conditions at the Smithsonian. First, please be aware that the Smithsonian Institution has one of the best and most professional staffs in the world. They know what they are doing and they know how this country’s treasures should be cared for. I am certain that they are just as frustrated (probably more so) than you at the situation. A leaking roof is no easy problem to fix, but probably requires funds on a grand scale. Second, and most importantly, remember that Congress funds the Smithsonian. Your time would be better spent acting locally and writing to your Congressperson (The Honorable so-and-so, House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515) and Senators (The Honorable so-and-so, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510) regarding increased funding.
Alyson B. Stanfield Director of Education Wichita Art Museum, Kansas
Date: Fri, 04 Aug 2000 17:51:10 -1000 | From: Laurie Woodard <lwoodardhawaii.edu>
There’s a new(?) vendor on eBay who appears to be using the Robert Shaw, Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces book as a design source for off-shore quilts (I was told they are being made in the Philippines). The “Gardenia” quilt (ebay # 391389246; auction just closed without a sale; follow link to “search completed items”), is a carbon copy of an original design by Sharon Balai (see page 113 in Shaw). This design is absolutely unique in Hawaiian quilt designs. That stained-glass effect in the center of each flower on her quilt was accomplished by using stencil cutting techniques developed by her, appearing for the first time in this quilt. The design was cut as one–there’s no bias tape piecing. I don’t know how the vendor’s quilt is made. The same vendor also just sold an “Ulu” quilt (#381320383 ) and has a second “Ulu” (# 397320788) still open to bid. This one (Shaw, 101) is an original interpretation of the breadfruit pattern by Helen Friend, also of Hawaii. This particular design is not in the public domain either. I talked with both artists this past week. They both assured me that the vendor does not have their permission to use their designs and has not entered into any agreement with them to market their designs. — Laurie Woodard Hawaiian Quilt Research Project http://openstudio.hawaii.edu/hqrp/default.html
Date: Sat, 05 Aug 2000 10:14:21 -0500 | From: Jocelyn <Jocelynm>
Sending information as attachments is not a wise idea,since so many viruses have been developed to attach themselves to emails. Many people, myself included, automatically delete any attachment that arrives without prior notification. When I’m sending attached files, I always send the recipient an email, in which the names of the files are listed, about 2-3 minutes BEFORE I send the files, and I never send files without the recipient having agreed to accept them. If anyone sends me anything unannouced, even if it’s from my best friend, I delete. If it’s ‘real’, they can resend, once they verify that it wasn’t unintentional. This may seem paranoid…but I have a friend who works for US Robotics. You’d think they’d have antivirus programs up to their ears, right? Wrong. Somebody got infected with Melissa, and it went out to his entire corporate email address book. Shut down the corporation in 6 states. All because someone opened an attachment when he shouldn’t’ve…
Date: Sun, 6 Aug 2000 11:09:45 -0400 | From: “Nancy Roberts” <robertsnnorwich.net>
We are just back from a week in Maine where I attended the state guild show in Brunswick and an art quilt (AQM) show in Kennebunkport (still on today-the 6th). Both were fine displays. In addition, we visited the Kennebunkport Historical Society’s “Threads of History” exhibit at the Pasco Exhibit Center which is located between Kennebunk and Kennebunkport. It’s a display of vignettes depicting life in the seacoast area from the mid-1800’s to the early 20th century with items selected from the textile collection. Several quilts are included along with men’s and women’s fashions. Historical Society volunteers created the displays and even made the mannequins for the exhibit. If you have a chance to travel to this area, I suggest you visit the museum. Tues.-Fri 10-4, Sat. 10-1 (June to Oct); year round hours Wed.-Fri. 10-4. Admission is $3 adults; $1 children. The exhibit is scheduled through 2001, but I don’t recall the ending date. You can contact the museum director at kporthsgwi.net or visit the website at www.kporthistory.org for directions to the Pasco Center. Hope some of you get to see it. Nancy
Date: Thu, 03 Aug 2000 07:45:50 -0400 | From: LRSMJS3450
I have been searching for my great-great grandmother’s quilt which was sold at the Woman’s Club Thrift Store in State College, PA around 1972. It was (sad to say) donated by my cousin who was moving to another state. To the best of my knowledge, here is a description of it, although no pictures exist. It is probably made of shades of blue, having a very very large American Flag across the entire quilt. The quilting will be superb. It will have large ornately embroidered initials on it and will probably say “Made and Presented to JCH by Grandma Carpenter, (date). I am only trying to learn of the location of the quilt; I am not trying to get it back. Although, since it is in our family, I would be willing to buy it from the owner. I have been in the process of searching for great-great grandmothers quilts and this is the only one which I have not found. Can you help me?? Sincerely, Mary Jo Scott
Date: Thu, 03 Aug 2000 07:59:30 -0400 | From: “Marilyn Maddalena” <marilynquiltsjps.net>
On July 18th I responded to this list regarding my being listed as an AQS Appraiser for this quilt show in a notice about the show posted on this list. For some reason my reply never reached QHL — at least, if it did, I haven’t seen it. Just to be sure everyone has this information accurately, I’m re-sending my reply. This incorrect information has upset many AQS appraisers — and it certainly has been difficult for me. I am not accustomed to being accused of misrepresentation or fraud or anything else one might call it. Here is my original reply For Catherine and everyone else on this list — I’m glad to see the information going out about the annual month-long antique quilt show at the history museum coming up next month in Folsom, CA. This will be my third year to do antique quilt appraisals for the museum, and it is always a thrilling experience to see the wonderful antique quilts that come in to that show. However, I am NOT a certified AQS appraiser as mentioned in the earlier post, and have never knowingly let anyone believe that I am. I am very clear to anyone who asks that I am NOT certified. I have taken the AQS classes related to certification — fair market values, insurance values, donation values — and have taken classes on dating fabrics and many other courses related to antique quilts, plus purchasing and reading every book I can find on the subject. I am also very involved with my local guild and other quilting groups, am serving as a quilt show judge throughout the state, and keep up on what is happening with the quilting world in contemporary and art quilts, as well as wearable art. (It’s a good thing I’m retired from my “day job” or I wouldn’t have time to do all these things!) I am on several e-mail lists and spend many hours doing research for the appraisals I do. I have appraised approximately 500 quilts since I began several years ago. I had planned to submit my paperwork to AQS by July 1st this year and hoped to take the certification test in 2001. However, I was injured a little over a year ago, and that has put a kink in my schedule to take the certification tests. I hope to submit the paperwork next year. Perhaps because I do so many appraisals, folks assume I am certified. My brochures and my websites say that I have taken classes, and list most of them, and that I am “working toward certification” — but I am not certified and do not want anyone to be misled and think that I am certified. Thank you for your understanding of this most difficult situation. Marilyn Maddalena — “Sew Special” — Quilt Appraiser, Judge, Historian and speaker on antique quilts and Russian quilting NQA Publications Chair, Secretary of the CA Heritage Quilt Project, Board member of River City Quilters’ Guild, Sacramento, CA Check out my websites http://www.jps.net/marilynquilt and http://www./marilynquilts http://www.quiltappraiser.net http://www.quiltjudge.net
Date: Sun, 06 Aug 2000 20:08:07 +0400 | From: Xenia Cord <xecordnetusa1.net
The recently published Quilting Traditions by Patricia Herr has several of Harriet Carpenter’s astonishing and graphic quilts pictured in full color, including one with an American flag. While this is not the missing quilt, it would certainly be a good visual reference. These quilts were also magnificently displayed at the Heritage Museum in Lancaster earlier this year. Barb Garrett may be able to tell us if the exhibit is still up. Xenia
