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Sears Quilt Contest 08: Souvenir Century of Progress Kit Quilts

Souvenir Kit Quilts in the Century of Progress theme
Even though the judges did not particularly like the Century of Progress themed quilts, an as-yet-unidentified enterprising designer produced a boxed kit quilt that was sold as a perfect World’s Fair souvenir.  Fair souvenirs probably had to be sanctioned by the Century of Progress Exposition staff, but no records of this kit quilt have been found.  Only an oral interview of a son who remembered his mother making the kit quilt in 1934 and a number on the selvedge of an antique quilt supported the possibility that the quilt was sold at the Fair. 

Five completed quilts have been located, including one in the Western Heritage Museum in Riverside, CA and another in the American Folkart Museum in New York.

impcap
 

Contest Kit Quilt 1934
Maker unknown
Cleveland, Ohio
1934
Private Collection

A quilt made from a kit sold at the Fair. This quilt was not entered in the contest.

impcap
 

Title
Maker unknown
City, County, Michigan
after 1933
Private Collection

Chicago World's Fair kit (one of two)

Merikay Waldvogel
2011
All rights reserved

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