Quilt No.296OGH - Old Government House

Old Government House
Owner: 
Old Government House
Location: 
SA
Maker
Maker: 
Sarah Keen
Made in
AUSTRALIA SA
Date: 
1851 - 1880
Description: 
Patchwork quilt in Log Cabin pattern made from silks, velvet, cottons and taffetas, in prints and plain, around a centre squares of black velvet. Colours are, in the dark sections, blues, greens, browns, yellow and pinks. The base of the blocks is blue and white ticking. The padding is probably cotton. Backing is of green cotton. There is an attached frill on all sides of green cotton, faded to dull light brown.
1630 x 1350mm
History: 

Made in Australia around 1870 by Sarah Keen (1830 - 1910). Previously owned by Mrs Keens' grand-daughter Miss Lenore Roach, now owned by National Parks and Wildlife Service, Old Government House, Belair SA.

Story: 

Sarah was born in 1830 in Somerset, England, and came to South Australia in 1855. Her husband was the Reverend Thomas Keen. Through his ministry they lived in many towns in South Australia.

Related Quilts:

Annette Gero,
Wholecloth quilt originally covered with cretonne and recovered with orange satin. Machine quilted. Padding of wool.
1270 x 1160mm
Doncaster-Templestowe Historical Society
Quilt made of Suffolk Puffs or flattened circles, in different bright colours in cotton and silk. Large single bed size.
Mare Carter
Patchwork quilt, all cotton including cotton filling. "8 pointed star" with turkey red surround, white background. Hand stitched and hand quilted.
2109 X 1727mm
National Trust of Australia (QLD)
Quilt made of tailors' swatches, machine constructed around a central frame that is mainly mid brown pieces. This is surrounded by rectangles of mainly charcoal greys and the outer border is navy blues. The backing is a heavy cotton with random green and cream and grey stripes.
1651 x 1220mm
Narryna Heritage Museum
Cotton quilt in 'Wedding Ring' pattern. Background material is calico type in cream and the rings are in pastel colours, yellow, pink, blue and green prints and plains. It is hand pieced and hand quilted and the edges of the quilt are scalloped and finished with a pale pink binding. The backing is cotton and the padding is cotton.
2200 x 1900mm
N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
The top is strips of mainly wools in blue, maroon and purple. The backing is imitation fur in brown and grey. They is no quilting. The padding appears to be a double sided pieced quilt from men's suitings or tailors' samples.
1500 x 1130mm