QUILT INDEX RECORD

11-37-5084

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project - MassQuilts

Who documented this quilt?

Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project, MassQuilts; Boston Museum of Fine Arts; The Black Diaspora Quilt History Project

MASS-Quilts ID Number:

2325

Alternate inventory control number:

MFA# 64.619

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public Museum, Library or Institution

Quilt owner:

Boston Museum of Fine Arts

Quilt owner's city:

Boston

Quilt owner's state:

Massachusetts (MA)

Quilt owner's county:

Suffolk

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Quilt top made by:

Powers, Harriet

Quiltmaker's state:

Georgia (GA)

Quiltmaker's city:

Athens

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's D.O.B.:

1837, born into slavery

Occupation:

farming

Date of death and location:

1911

Ethnic group:

African American

Quiltmaker's educational background:

could not read or write

How did owner acquire quilt?

Gift

Time period:

1876-1900

Note:

each square tells a story; see museum information attached

Format:

Finished quilt

Technique, embellishments:

Embroidery

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Side by side

Sashing width:

1" lattice strips

Vertical rows, horizontal rows and number of blocks:

5 vertical rows, 3 horizontal rows, 15 blocks

Block shape:

Squares

Fabric fibers:

Cotton

Patterns:

Conversation Prints

Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:

shirtings, centennial print, plain weave

Predominant colors:

Lavender

Antique colors:

Claret or Wine

Quilting:

Hand quilting

Motif design, overall:

Outline

Quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

5

Border; technique, fiber, weave, pattern:

one border of 2" shirting fabric

Binding and edging:

Separate binding applied

Binding; fiber:

Cotton

Binding; weave:

Plain weave

How wide is the binding (measure on the top only)?

1/2"

Binding; pattern:

red & white with stripe; may be back to front,

Batting:

Cotton

Batting thickness:

Medium

Backing, number of pieces:

three pieces

Backing, predominant color:

Red

Condition:

Good/moderate use

Condition, damage:

Dirty

Condition, structurally sound?

This quilt is structurally sound.

Pattern name, variations and comments:

Harriet Powers Original

Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:

See MFA notes.

Date estimated by an antique dealer, quilt historian or appraiser:

1895-1898

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Boston Museum of Fine Arts