QUILT INDEX RECORD

18-14-86

Description:

This quilt is unusual in the Gasperik collection precisely because it so faithfully follows a commercial kit. On most of her quilts, Mary indulged more personal and creative talents. This quilt was made from a 1940s era commercial quilt kit Calico Rose Paragon #01082.

Essay:

Mary Gasperik seems to have used the fabrics and instructions supplied with Paragon #01082 Calico Rose, without making any substantial changes or additions. The bias binding, extra embroidered leaf veins, and 1/2-inch diamond grid quilting (apparently uncalled for by the kit) are, however, indicative of a skilled and careful needleworker. Traces of the kit quilting lines are visible on this unwashed quilt. For the most part, Gasperik followed the lines; however, in one area she doubled the density by quilting a one-half-inch diamond grid where a one-inch grid was stamped on the cloth. According to the website called fabrics.net (http://info.fabrics.net/history-of-kit-quilts/), in its section called "Kit Quilts by Individuals" (June 12, 2014): "Paragon made 127 kits from 1937 - 1982 and are still making kits today." That would mean that Gasperik did not make this quilt before 1937. We know it won a prize at a Marshall Fields department store competition in 1942.

Susan Salser compared Gasperik's Calico Rose to an identical quilt she acquired on the internet. The two quilters used the same fabrics, patterns, and even quilting patterns, but there were slight differences. Gasperik used bias binding while the other used straight binding. Gasperik embroidered three lines on each leaf; the other embroidered a single vein on each leaf. Gasperik quilted a one-half-inch grid on the block background; the other quilted a one-inch grid.

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Mary Gasperik Legacy Project

Who documented this quilt?

Mary Gasperik Private Collection

Gasperik Legacy Project Number:

049

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Calico Rose

Owner's name for quilt:

Calico Rose

How wide is the quilt?

87 inches

How long is the quilt?

97 inches

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Green; Red; White

Overall color scheme:

Bright or primary colors

Quilt's condition:

Very good/almost new

Notes on condition, damage, or repairs:

The quilt has never been washed.

Method used to make the inscription:

Other

Describe the method used to inscribe the quilt:

Cloth tag sewn to back reads: "Mary Gasperik 1411 W 174 Street East Hazelcrest Illinois"

Location of inscription:

on block

Time period:

1930-1949

When was the quilt finished?

1942 or earlier

Family/owner's date for quilt:

1940s

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

1940s, Uncertain An old exhibit tag, probably indicating it was shown at Tuley Park, reads "Calico Rose Quilt, 2nd Prize 1942 Marshall Field Exhibit, by Mrs. M. Gasperik."

Who estimated the quilt's date?

Merikay Waldvogel

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

12

Size of quilt blocks:

15.5 inches x 16.5 inches

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Separated by plain sashing

Number of different block patterns used in the quilt:

1

What is the shape of the quilt blocks?

Same block throughout

Sashing width:

3.5 inches

Number of borders:

One

Describe the borders:

A narrow band of applique frames the central field on all four sides as prescribed by the kit.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Print; Solid/plain

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Embroidery

Describe any unusual techniques used to make the quilt top:

This quilt looks like it is composed of individual blocks sewn together, but it is not. In construction terms, it is really a strip quilt bearing applique.

Can you feel or see paper on the quilt that was used as a construction aid?

no

Embellishments used:

Cotton thread

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

What color is the back of the quilt?

Cream

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

3

Width of pieces on the back:

16.5 inches, 36.5 inches, and 34 inches

Describe the back:

Same fabric used throughout; Solid/plain

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

Fabric structure of the binding:

Plain weave

How is the binding made?

Bias grain

What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?

less than a half inch

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Thread type used for the quilting:

cotton

Color of thread used in the quilting:

white

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

10

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

8

Width between quilting lines:

varies

Can you see any knots on the front or back of the quilt?

no

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Grid diamond; Patches outlined/in the ditch

Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:

Cables; Floral

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Parallel lines

Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:

Although this appears to be a quilt constructed of 12 blocks, in fact it is constructed from 3 vertical strips. This is true of the Gasperik quilt, the Paragon kit #01082, and a completed Calico Rose made by an unknown quilter which Salser purchased from a quilt dealer.

Quilt top made by:

Gasperik, Mary

Quilted by:

Gasperik, Mary

Where the quilt was made, city:

Chicago

Where the quilt was made, county:

Cook County

Where the quilt was made, state:

Illinois (IL)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Inheritance

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Selected by daughter Elsie during a division of quilts after Gasperik died in 1969. About 1988-89, after they had divided up their mother's Gasperik quilts, Susan Salser acquired this quilt in a trade with her sister Karen. She traded a mint Indiana Wreath (#063) and an apricot Morning Glory quilt (#062) for this Calico Rose and a twin-sized Tree of Life quilt (#044).

Why was the quilt made?

Home decoration

The quilt was made to be used for:

Bedding, special occasion

Quilt is presently used as:

Exhibit; Keepsake/memento

Describe present uses of the quilt:

Mary's grandchildren regard her quilts as a unique collection to be preserved and appreciated.

Describe the sources of the quilt's materials:

Kit

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Commercial/Published source: Kit

Commercial name of the pattern for the top:

Paragon #01082 "Calico Rose"

Where did the quiltmaker find the pattern for the quilting design on the quilt?

Kit

Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

Salser recorded the following notes when she examined an original Paragon 01082 Calico Rose kit in June 2017, comparing the kit with Gasperik's quilt, as well as a completed Calico Rose quilt made by an unknown quilter in New York: The set of solid color fabrics in this kit is somewhat different from the set of fabrics that Gasperik used on her Calico Rose. But the set of solid fabrics Gasperik used is fairly similar to the set of fabrics employed by the maker of a fully completed Calico Rose I purchased from a seller around 10 years ago. I say "fairly similar" because the various pink and rose shades match closely on the two quilts, but the non-Gasperik quilt employs two very different solid green fabrics - one a kelly green and the other distinctly olive green whereas Gasperik's quilt shows no kelly green at all, but does employ two VERY SLIGHTLY different shades of olive green fabric. It is somewhat odd to note that, in this one case at least, Gasperik used fewer, rather than more, kit-proposed fabric choices. I wouldn't have expected that. It is probably not news to researchers of this period of quilt-making in America that the same kit number purchased from different sources might contain different colors of fabrics to be used to make the same applique 'part number'. And it's probably no surprise that those differences were sometimes subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle, probably depending on the availability of fabrics to the company assembling the kits. What strikes me most today is the level of detail offered by this Paragon kit. There are 11 different leaf outline shapes (which from a distance look fairly uniform) employed in each bowl of roses! Actually there are 22 different leaf applique cutouts, because the vein line is printed on the leaf (you don't simply turn the leaf over and use it on the other side of the bowl - the bowls having symmetrical halves). The person attempting to make the kit I am examining did not have the sufficient skill level, or perhaps sufficient patience, to turn under the edges of each leaf accurately, and thus failed to capture the subtle differences in leaf shapes which the Paragon kit’s stamped fabric offers. I think such design subtleties are what brings the applique to life and am noticing that Gasperik's ability to capture the slight differences (where she wanted to) but retain uniformity where that was needed for design balance, is something that makes her quilts so "masterful". This Paragon kit #01082 offers surprisingly great promise and help to those who know how to avail themselves of it. And probably adequate pleasure to those who just do the best that they can.

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

Marshall Fields Department Store display and contest in downtown Chicago, 1942.

The Quilts of Mary Gasperik, Ravenswood Historic Site, Livermore, CA, March 14-15, 1992.

Contests entered:

Marshall Fields, Chicago, 1942

Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:

Merikay Waldvogel and Barbara Brackman. Patchwork Souvenirs of the 1933 Chicago World's Fair, (Nashville, TN: Rutledge Hill Press, 1993)102-103.

Merikay Waldvogel "One American Dream Comes True", Quilters Newsletter Magazine, March 2008, 46-49.

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

Paragon kit #01082 Calico Rose purchased by Susan Salser June 2017. The original purchaser did some applique work on it, but the majority of fabrics remain a nearly complete, uncut set.

Kit cover or advertisement: Calico Rose Paragon 01082.

Unquilted appliqued block cut from kit strip and stamped with identfication: "PARAGON" (N.Y) {REG U.S. PAT.OFF.} No 01082-QUILT" purchased from Judy Kelius, Nov. 2004. Private collection of Susan Salser.

Completed Calico Rose quilt made by unknown quilter. Purchased by Susan Salser from Alice Wiebe, July, 2002. Wiebe purchased the quilt on ebay in from a seller in Albany, N.Y. in March, 2002. Susan Salser private collection. This quilt is in excellent condition.

Called Urn of Flowers. origin unknown, c. 1920, 76" x 97", collection of That Patchwork Place, Inc., Bothell, Washington, a photograph of the quilt appears on page 57 of Pieces of the Past by Nancy J. Martin, 1986. What may be the same quilt is called Peruvian Lily in a picture on page 128 of Make Room for Quilts by Nancy J. Martin, That Patchwork Place, 1994.

A photograph of yet another Calico Rose appears in Minnesota Quilts: Creating Connections with Our Past, Voyageur Press, Minnesota Quilt Project 2005, page 100. This quilt, made by Boletta Lund Huntington circa 1950, won a prize at the Minnesota State Fair.

A blue version of this design, called Blue Basket was marketed by the Paragon Co. as kit #01101, circa 1950. An example of this quilt is in the collection of the International Quilt Study Center, Lincoln, Nebraska. It was displayed, in 2003, as part of an exhibition of kit quilts in their collection.

Described as Bowl of Flowers, unknown quiltmaker, 85" x 99", Pennsylvania, c. 1920-1950. Made from Paragon Quilt Kit Pattern #01101; Blue Basket, another version of this quilt design was included in a 1997 show at The Museum of the American Quilter's Society. That show was 20th Century Quilts 1900-1970 Joyce Gross & Cuesta Benberry.

Oral History: Mary's grand-daughter, Linda Krueger MacLachlan, remembers being told that Mary's quilts were disqualified from winning prizes in a Chicago department store contest (this one was exhibited at Marshall Fields) because quilting marks were visible on her quilts. This quilt does bear traces of the kit's proposed quilting design.

Yellow exhibit tag reading "Calico Rose Quilt 2nd Prize 1942 Marshall Field Exhibit by Mrs. M. Gasperik" in pencil handwriting (Susan Salser, private collection). Tags like this were made for Tuley Park quilt shows. Susan believes she remembers seeing this quilt hanging in the 1949 show, but doesn't know the date of the previous Tuley Park quilt show.

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's name:

Susan Krueger Salser

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Person filling out this form is:

Relative of quiltmaker; Quilt owner; Author/researcher

If you are a relative of the quiltmaker, how are you related? The quiltmaker is my:

Grandmother

Describe the relationship to the quilt's maker:

Grand-daughter Susan Salser began this research effort in 1991, after she and her two sisters divided up the quilts which belonged to their mother (Elsie Gasperik Krueger) who died in 1988. Her ongoing research has been fruitful and interesting.

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Mihalovits, Maria

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's birth date:

01/25/1888

Quiltmaker's birthplace, country:

Hungary

Quiltmaker's marriage date(s):

11/18/1906

Quiltmaker's date of death:

05/25/1969

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

Hungarian

Quiltmaker's educational background:

Elementary School

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Rural

Quiltmaker's city:

Chicago

Quiltmaker's county:

Cook

Quiltmaker's state:

Illinois (IL)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Mihalovits, Istvan

Quiltmaker's father's birthplace:

Hungary

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

Hungarian

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Mihalovits, Vidoszava

Quiltmaker's mother's birthplace:

Hungary

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

Hungarian

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and /or partner's/partners' name(s):

Gasperik, Stephen

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' ethnic/tribal background:

Hungarian

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:

Milk Dealer/Grocery Store Owner/Butcher

Number of children:

3

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

1 (Elsie 1909-1988)

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

2 (Elmer and Stephen)

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

From guild or club member; Self-Taught

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 40-49

Why does the quiltmaker quilt?

Pleasure; Other

Other notes on how the quiltmaker learned, and how and why they quilt:

A number of skillfully made Calico Rose quilts exist. Gasperik, like the other quilters, probably selected this kit because she found its classic design and the materials supplied by Paragon appealing and adequate, even for a highly skilled and independent-minded quilter. Gasperik made quilts to exhibit in shows held by her Tuley Park quilt club in Chicago, the Detroit News quilt show in Detroit, many Illinois State Fairs, at least one Indiana State Fair. She entered quilts in at least 2 Chicago department store contests. She made at least one quilt and one quilt top specifically for the 1939 New York Worlds Fair quilt contest. She also made children's quilts specifically for grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and wedding and wedding anniversary quilts for her son Elmer and grand-daughter Karen. Primarily, she wanted to make quilts because it was her life passion and her greatest talent. The occasions and venues to show them presented themselves. It should be noted that prior to Mary's emigration to America in late 1904, at age 16, she was an apprenticed needleworker in her native Hungary. The intricate and colorful floral embroideries traditional to Hungary lend themselves especially well to applique, the quilt style Mary preferred.

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group? Name of the group?

Tuley Park Quilt Club and Detroit News Quilt Club

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group?

Southside Chicago and Detroit MI

What are the main activities of the group?

Chicago group met to quilt and held periodic quilt shows; Detroit group held national exhibits and contests.

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

more than 50

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

no

Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?

no

Who photographed this quilt?

Don Gonzalez

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Susan Salser

Details

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