1880 - 1899 Copland Family's "Log Cabin" Bedcover

Description:

This carefully thought-out example of the pieced “Log Cabin” or “Courthouse Steps” pattern was given as a gift of friendship from the Copland Family of Johnson Creek, Wis., to Clara Foy. She in turn gave it to her stepgrand daughter, the donor, in 1942 as a gift before she was married. The quilt was exhibited at a county fair where it won a blue ribbon and possibly was exhibited at the Wisconsin State Fair and other fairs.

The bedcover is composed of 7 ½-inch blocks made of many different late-19th-century roller-printed cottons. The blocks are framed by four rows of short printed cotton strips, with a 1 ¾-inch cotton border print on the inner edge and a different 1 ¾-inch cotton border print on the outer edge. The blocks and strips are constructed on muslin squares and rectangles. In each of the four corners of the border is a 7-inch block pieced in the “White House Steps” version of the “Log Cabin” pattern. Although the donor referred to it as a quilt, it has neither a lining nor a filling and is not quilted.

Clara Falcy, the recipient of this bedcover from the Copland Family, was born in Wisconsin in 1887. She married a Mr. Radditz and moved to Indiana. After his death, she married George L. Foy (about 1870-1933) in 1931 and they lived in Wisconsin.

The numerous fabrics in this version of the “Log Cabin” quilt make it an interesting contribution to the Collection.

Date Made: 1880-1899

Maker: unknown

Location: Currently not on view

Place Made: United States

Subject: Quilting

Subject:

See more items in: Home and Community Life: Textiles, Textiles, Domestic Furnishings, Quilts

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Credit Line: Gift of Harriet K. Smith

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 1983.0731.01Catalog Number: 1983.0731.01Accession Number: 1983.0731

Object Name: quilt

Physical Description: fabric, cotton (overall material)thread, cotton (overall material)Measurements: overall: 82 in x 74 in; 209 cm x 187 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a3-c21c-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_556184

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.