1800 - 1825 Elizabeth C. Nunn's "Liberty" Quilted Counterpane
date: label: date made
content: 1800 - 1825
name: label: maker
content: Nunn, Elizabeth C.
label: maker
content: Nunn, Elizabeth C.
notes: label: Description
content: After its adoption in 1782, the Great Seal of the United States became a popular design motif. An adaptation of the eagle design centers the top of this hand-woven cotton quilt that was block-printed in the early 19th century for a Mrs. Farris of Kentucky. Mrs. Farris’s daughter, Elizabeth C. Nunn, lined and interlined the top with cotton and stitched the layers together in a diamond quilting pattern.
label: Description
content: Blocks for printing such bedcovers were of crudely carved wood, with individual motifs that could be arranged in a variety of designs. The color on this example, probably originally printed with Prussian blue, has faded from washings.
label: Description
content: Elizabeth C. born in 1783 in Virginia, married William Nunn (1783-1822) in March 1805. Elizabeth died in Kentucky in 1871.
label: Description
content: Quilted counterpane entirely block-printed in blue: An eagle with the work "Liberty" over its head, in an oval edged with scallops. Surrounding this is a larger ring of scallops, flowers, buds with leaves, and flying birds, all enclosed in a 1-7/8" printed border. Beyond this frame are pots of fruit and flowers, and a 4-1/2" geometric border. White cotton lining. Very thin cotton filling. Sewing thread is 2-ply S-twist linen; quilting thread is 2-ply S-twist cotton. Quilting pattern: 1" diagonal grid, 6 stitches/inch. Appears to have been marked and quilted from the back. No separate binding: front and lining turned in and whipped.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Kentucky
label: made at
content: United States: Kentucky, Kentucky
topic: label: Subject
content: Quilting
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Textiles
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content: Quilts
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content: Textiles
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content: Domestic Furnishings
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: TE.T15294
label: catalog number
content: T15294
label: accession number
content: 292230
objectType: label: Object Name
content: quilt
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: fabric, cotton (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: thread, cotton, linen (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: filling, cotton (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 83 in x 69 in; 211 cm x 176 cm