Quilt No.963NGA - National Gallery of Australia
Owner:
National Gallery of Australia
Location:
ACT
Maker
Maker:
Christina Brown
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Patterms
Date:
1881 - 1900
Description:
"The quilt consists of 12 blocks of crazy patchwork with an embroidered border. The quilt is made of 167 different fabrics; most of these are silk. These velvets, printed silks and satins are beautifully embroidered with flowers, household items and Kate Greenway images of children at play. Many of the motifs have a strong influence from the Aesthetic Movement. The edge of the quilt carries a border in maroon silk decorated with tendrils and daisies in very fine embroidery.
The patches are joined with hand sewing and embroidery, however the 12 panels are joined with machine stitching (...
The patches are joined with hand sewing and embroidery, however the 12 panels are joined with machine stitching (...
History:
Christina Brown made the quilt. The National Gallery purchased the quilt from a family living in New South Wales in 1989.
Story:
"Christina Brown (United Kingdom born 1815 - Australia died 1895) made this quilt. Mrs. Brown immigrated to Australia with her husband from Scotland in 1842. The Brown family had a property 'Cooerwull' at Bowenfels near Lithgow, New South Wales. Christina raised 3 children in the 1840's but did not produce this quilt until she was in her seventies, around 1890." [NGA]
Related Quilts:
The top has a segmented circle in the centre surrounded by a border of small rectangles. The circle is featherstitched on to the background. Materials are wools and cottons and it is hand pieced. The other side appears to have been originally men's suiting materials strip pieced. It is now covered with a children's print in light cotton joined in long rectangles. The padding is coarse heavyweight cotton.
1410 x 1080mm
1410 x 1080mm
Hand made cotton quilt in repeat block with appliqued Iris pattern. It is a kit quilt. "The Iris, Design "R" of the 'Mountain Mist Series' of Quilt Patterns" from The Stearns & Foster Company, Lockland, Cincinnati, Ohio. Copyright 1930. The backing is cotton and the filling also.
2439 x 1981mm
2439 x 1981mm
Large squares, alternate brown check and blue check, of men's dressing gown material. "Everyone's father had one in 40s and 50s". [Pam Clifford]. No padding. Backing is smaller random shapes of men's grey suiting material. Machine construction. There is no quilting.
2236 x 1550mm
2236 x 1550mm
Machine sewn quilt made from 125mm squares of scraps left over from dressmaking joined in strips and then the strips joined. There is a border of fawn cotton and the backing is the same material. The padding is an old blanket and the border is padded with sheep's wool.
1400 x 925mm
1400 x 925mm
Reversible quilt made of squares and rectangles of mostly wool suiting and some heavy cotton. The borders are of joined brocade. There is no padding.
1600 x 1220mm
1600 x 1220mm
Crazy patchwork quilt, mostly velvet, with two rectangular frames or borders of green fabric. All patchwork pieces have embroidery over the seams, mostly herringbone. Quilt is edged with a cream cotton ruffle. Cotton backing.
1625 x 1625mm
1625 x 1625mm