QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-6802

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

17.0011

If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:

2017:17.1

Essay:

From the seller: The story behind this top is that the maker worked for the Atlas Underwear Co. in Piqua, Ohio in the early 1900’s. She’d bring home the different labels of the underwear they were making at the time and make quilts, rugs, and towels from them. This particular quilt top measures 72” x 89” and consists of short strips of different colored underwear makers labels with different trade names -- set in a log cabin or courthouse steps pattern. The combination of light and dark in each block gives an overall diamond effect to the top. The labels are machine sewn together with the backs showing on the top side of the quilt. I guess the person who made these thought the back side was prettier than the fronts, or maybe didn’t want people to read the labels easily and figure out what the top was made from. Here is a list of some of the label names:
National C. & S. Co.
Waconta Elastic Form Fitting
Correct Fitting Buffalo Brand w/Buffalo
E. & W. Highest Standard, Expert Tailoring
The Sultan Closed Crotch
ESS-R-BEE Correct Fitting
Manhattan Union Suit
DSG Co.
Mesco Quality
Castle Closed Crotch, Underwear Perfection
Puritan Tru-Fit*

Owner's name for the quilt:

Underwear Label Quilt

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Log Cabin

Quilt top made by:

Employee of the Atlas Underwear Company

If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Piqua

Where the quilt was made, state:

Ohio (OH)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

1901-1929

When was the quilt finished?

Early 1900s

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's state:

Ohio (OH)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

This is a:

Quilt top with unfinished edge

How wide is the quilt?

72"

How long is the quilt?

89"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Black; Blue; Gold; Pink; White

Quilt's condition:

Very good/almost new

Method used to make the inscription:

Attached label

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

30

Size of quilt blocks:

14.5" x 14.5"

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Side by side

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Other synthetic

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Novelty

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

How is the binding made?

Unfinished/raw edge

How are the layers held together?

Not quilted

Describe the sources of the quilt's materials:

Labels from the Atlas Underwear Company in Piqua, Ohio.

Source of the information on this quilt:

Museum employee

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public- Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's name:

Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's city:

East Lansing

Quilt owner's county:

Ingham

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Purchased from Julie Silber, 4/17/2017.

Details

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Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees