Double Wedding Ring quilt from Canada, 1930s (TRC 2023.0626).Quilts and the TRC have been the focus of various discussions!
We recently welcomed, for example, various visitors who came to examine our collection of American quilts, two of them were Americans who came a few days ago.
At the same time we had a material culture group from Heidelberg University, Germany (a blog about this visit will be published shortly), who came to see Asian textiles and garments. Their tutor (who is a quilter) and some of the students, however, spotted the quilts and wanted to see and know more about them as well.
Flower with Berries quilt, USA, 1850s (TRC 2019.2402).In addition, last year we were given various quilts by David and Bonnie Smith, which have been added to our catalogue and were uploaded to the Quilt Index of the University of Michigan.
And the other day we were given a 1930s, Double Wedding Ring quilt from Canada, by Betty Cooper Compeer (TRC 2023.0626).
So I have just had a discussion with Beverley Bennett, our quilt specialist, about the TRC’s American quilts collection, how it can be used and what was missing. To summarise her comments: thanks to the help of various American quilt enthusiasts in the US and the American Embassy in The Hague the TRC now has a representative collection of quilts from this region.
Bookcase quilt, USA, late 20th century (TRC 2022.3129).We miss a few types, such as early 19th century (or earlier!) quilts, a Baltimore Album quilt, a Hawaiian quilt and modern Art quilts. But in general we have a good collection that is one of the few public collections of American quilts in this part of Europe.
More specifically, we have 169 quilts in our collection dating from the 1840s to the present day. They include a wide range of forms, from practical, Amish items to more decorative, elaborate examples.
The vast majority of these – around 150 – are American in origin, with a dozen or so from Indian sub-continent with only 6 from Europe, so Beverley has suggested that we should start to emphasise the European aspect of the quilt collection with Dutch, Welsh and other European quilts, not to mention quilted garments.
Indian kantha quilt (TRC 2022.1697).My own inclinations, given my work in the Middle East, is to look for these forms of quilts and quilting from this part of the world. But as was pointed out: what about Asian quilts and quilted objects, especially those from Central Asia and Japan? In other words, was it possible to make the TRC into a centre for international quilts and quilting as well as quilt studies in the broadest sense of the word ‘international’?
At present, however, the TRC does not have many examples of quilts and quilting from outside of the US – a gentle hint!
Patchwork cover, the Netherlands, late 19th century (TRC 2011.0299).Yes, it would make sense to look at these objects on an international scale, but as is well-known, quilts take up a lot of space, and the teaching quilting and quilt history would take up even more. But it would be feasible with the help of textile lovers around the world!
So if you know of any private or public funding bodies who would be willing to help us expand, please let us know at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood, 24 May 2023
