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. Did the maker make other quilts?

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