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Hoosier Suffrage Quilt


Suffrage Quilt
American (probably Indiana)
before 1920
Object Place: Probably Indiana, United States

Medium/Technique Cotton plain weave, pieced, embroidered, and quilted
Dimensions Length x width: 182.9 x 188 cm (73.5 x 74.5 inches)
Credit Line Frank B. Bemis Fund and with funds donated anonymously
Accession Number2012.170
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsTextiles

DescriptionQuilt of red and white stripes, surrounded by blue border and canton decorated with 48 stars to form a flag. Upper border features patriotic and other mottos, while nine of the vertical red and white stripes contain approx. 300 names embroidered in lists. Two red corner blocks at bottom. Thought to be supporters of woman's suffrage, the name "Susan B. Anthony" appears near the top of one of the central columns.
White stars are machine appliqued to blue ground. Mottos and names are hand embroidered in satin stitch to contrasting ground. There is machine quilting in white thread in parallel diagonal lines between names and around stars. Some lines of hand quilting also appear in white thread across three blank bars on left. Backing is of red and white checked cotton.
ProvenanceSusan Parrish (1935-2011), New York; March 4, 2012, sale, Skinner (consigned by the estate of Susan Parrish), Boston, lot 645, to the MFA. (Accession date: April 25, 2012)