Quilt No.521FW - Fran Williams
Description:
Hand pieced cotton quilt in Grandmother's Flower Garden pattern. Shirtings, chintzes, roller prints. 240mm ruffle in paisley pattern on 3 sides, probably a later addition. The backing is a heavy Indian cotton possibly also put on later. There is no quilting at all. There is no padding.
2000 x 2240mm
2000 x 2240mm
History:
The maker is unknown. The present owner and others believe the materials date the quilt around the 1880s. It was originally purchased in the 1950s, with a cedar bed, by Mrs. Ada Ball from a Mr. Hortin, antique dealer, Tasmania. Ada gave it to her friend Dr. Geraldine Archer, a well known gynaecologist. When Gerry adopted a thalidomide boy Ada became his nanny. Gerry didn't like the quilt so it was put in a pillow case and into the linen closet for 40 years. On her death in 1991 there was a huge sale but as the quilt was one of the things Ada had given her she took it back. The Greens wanted a donation for a fund raising auction so she gave it to them. Fran Williams purchased it at the Greens auction.
It is not used.
Related Quilts:
The top is machine pieced patches of used clothing. The backing is large pieces of dress materials and either end patches similar to the top. The padding is a chaff bag or similar with patches of worn, matted children's jumpers sewn directly on to it.
1400 x 1150mm
1400 x 1150mm
Quilt of machine pieced squares and rectangles using a wide variety of materials in plain colours and patterns. It is one of a pair. There is no padding and the backing is 90cm strips of calico.
2500 x 2130mm
2500 x 2130mm
Quilt consisting of 30 blocks 360 x 360mm each (5 x 6). Each block consists of squares and rectangles arranged diagonally and edged with triangles. Each block is made from 2 or 3 different cotton materials, different colours but mainly pastels. It has not been quilted but tied with pink wool with 5 ties per block. Machine sewn with a folded and machine stitched edge. Padding appears to be coarse open weave cotton. The backing is printed flannelette.
2210 x 1850mm
2210 x 1850mm
Quilt made from furnishing materials some with mettalic flecks. It is machine sewn.
160 x 135mm
160 x 135mm
Patchwork Quilt consisting of diamond shapes forming a Tumbling Block pattern. All cotton, mainly patterned pieces, with signs of blotting paper templates. Hand sewn. The outer border of patches consists of off-cuts from nurses' uniforms of the times as 2 of the maker's daughters were nurses. It is thought most other squares were probably from material samples from large city stores such as Anthony Horderns. Backing is red cotton in a paisley design.
2030 x 1890mm
2030 x 1890mm
Hand sewn hexagons over paper templates in a pattern known as 'Grandmother's Flower Garden'. Materials are printed dress cottons, patterned and plain, mainly in pinks, blues and browns. The border and backing is grey linen and is machine stitched on. There is no padding. 2060 x 1579 mm.