Quilt No.683NTV - National Trust of Australia (VIC)

National Trust of Australia (VIC)
Owner: 
National Trust of Australia (VIC)
Location: 
VIC Melbourne
Maker
Maker: 
Mrs Radin
Made in
AUSTRIA
Date: 
1851 - 1880
Description: 
Woollen patchwork, mostly 17mm squares, in a heavy closely woven felt like material in red, black, yellow, blue, green and pink. Some larger motifs of pieced stars and crosses, some outlined with a narrow appliqued braid. There is no padding apparent. The backing is a khaki coloured cotton twill fabric. It may originally have had a border or fringe, now removed.
2280 x 1380mm
History: 

The quilt was probably made by Mrs. Radin in Austria pre the 1880s. It was donated to the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) by L.Radin, grandson of the maker, in 1978.
The quilt is stored in the National Trust costume and textile store Melbourne.

Story: 

"Known as the 'Indian Army Quilt' because some of its colours are said to be the regimental colours of the Indian Army.
Donated to National Trust in 1978 by Mr. L.Radin of Brighton, Victoria. The quilt was made by his grandmother in Austria or Dubrovnik. She gave it to her son Frank Radin, who was a sail maker in Launceston, after arriving from Dubrovnik in ca 1885-1890. He had the quilt with him and brought it to Melbourne in 1901 - his son was L.Radin, donor. Some sources say Frank Radin brought the quilt incomplete to Australia and finished it himself, and that he moved to Melbourne in 1922."
[Belinda Nemec, Manager of Collections, National Trust of Australia (Victoria) 9.2.2000]

Related Quilts:

Art Gallery of South Australia
Patchwork quilt or table covering dark and light silks in bright colours, pieced from diamond shapes into stars with black patches between the stars. Plain and patterned silks are used for the stars. Border is made from a single row of Tumbling Blocks in plain silks with an edging on each side of truncated black diamonds on blue on the inside, orange on the outer edge. There is a star pieced of diamonds in each corner. Hand sewn.
1830 x 1800mm
Margaret Knoop
Quilt top of cottons including shirting materials constructed in kaleidoscope pattern with star border. Hand pieced over papers, some papers remain at edges. There is no padding and no backing.
2440 x 1720mm
The Queensland Women's Historical Assoc.
Wool patches in large Tumbling Block pattern. Plain colours, blues, orange, gree, red. Seams are over embroidered with silk thread in herringbone stitch. Backing is 'Molleton', red with yellow pansy design.
2490 x 2236mm
Ruth Flett
Quilt is made of wool tailors' samples, each measuring 6 x 3 1/2 inches. The colours are predominantly navy and grey. Most pieces are striped but some more distinctly than others. Both sides are mad eof smaples, one side being mainly grey and the other almost exclusively navy. There doesn't seem to be another layer of material as padding. There is no added decoration. Made on a treadle sewing machine.
1703 x 1423mm
Gloria Martin
Double sided machine sewn patchwork quilt made from clothing scraps, wool blends, corduroy, velvets. Patterns include checks and tartans and there are many plain colours. Shapes are mainly rectangles and squares.
1524 x 1372mm
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Frame quilt in cottons with a centre motif of pieced 8 point star surrounded by borders, 2 from red/white material printed to represent Tumbling Block patchwork. The remaining borders are, one plain, one of pieced squares, one of pieced large triangles with squares in the corner. The outer border is plain. The padding is wool and the backing is cream cotton. It is elaborately quilted.
2400 x 2260mm