1876 Emma St. Clair Whitney's Pieced Silk Quilt
1876 Emma St. Clair Whitney's Pieced Silk Quilt
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- Description
- “1876 Emma St. Clair Whitney Centennial” is printed on the center rosette of this silk quilt. Two-inch plain colored silk hexagons are pieced into rosettes, each separated by black hexagons. An 8-inch silk border is quilted, 8 stitches per inch, with a 5-banded cable pattern. The silk lining is hand-quilted in a shell pattern in the center with a 4-banded cable pattern on the border.
- Emma St. Clair Nichols was born on September 26, 1840 in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. She married William Whitney (1823-1899) on October 2, 1862. He was a lawyer and Civil War veteran. They raised four children. In 1891 Emma published a book, Michael Hillegas and his Descendants, a memoir of her great grandfather. Michael Hillegas (1729-1804) was the First Treasurer of the United States. In the forward she mentioned that, “... [it] is hoped that the facts and materials here collected and classified, will be found serviceable to some later writer...” Emma died April 4, 1895. Her 1876 Centennial silk quilt is her legacy.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- quilt
- date made
- 1876
- maker
- Whitney, Emma St. Clair
- place made
- United States: Pennsylvania, Pottsville
- Physical Description
- fabric, silk, satin (overall material)
- thread, silk, cotton (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 80 in x 74 in; 203 cm x 188 cm
- ID Number
- TE.T17755.000
- catalog number
- T17755.000
- accession number
- 316364
- Credit Line
- Gift of Col. and Mrs. Whitney Ashbridge
- subject
- Quilting
- 1876
- Numismatics
- See more items in
- Cultural and Community Life: Textiles
- Domestic Furnishings
- Quilts
- Textiles
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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