1795 Eliza Bennis's "Irish Volunteers" Counterpane
date: label: date made
content: 1795
name: label: maker
content: Bennis, Eliza
notes: label: Description
content: Eliza Bennis appliqued her initials “EB” and date “1795” in the center of the outer border of this counterpane. Although in fragile condition, this appliqued and embroidered textile is noteworthy. The center panel (21+” high x 28+” wide) is an early Irish printed fabric known as “Irish Volunteers” or “Volunteer Furniture.” The copper-plate design, probably drawn by Gabriel Beranger, is a representation of a Provincial Review in Phoenix Park (June 1782) near Dublin. It was printed by Thomas Harpur at Leixlip, Ireland. This particular fabric may have held significance for Eliza as her husband, in 1779, was instrumental in the formation of a Limerick corps of Irish Volunteers.
label: Description
content: Elizabeth (Eliza) was born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1725, daughter of Isaac and Alice Patten. Eliza married Mitchell Bennis (1720-1788) in 1745. They had four children that reached adulthood. Eliza is significant in the history of Methodism and corresponded with John Wesley, among others. <I> Journal of Elizabeth Bennis 1749-1779, </I> begun in her 20s, is an accounting of her spiritual progress after she joined the Methodist Society. In her later years she emigrated from Limerick to Philadelphia and possibly brought the “Irish Volunteers” fabric or counterpane with her. She died in 1802. In 1809 her son, Thomas, published a book of her correspondence.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
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
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. George Bernardo
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1985.0034.01
label: catalog number
content: 1985.0034.01
label: accession number
content: 1985.0034
objectType: label: Object Name
content: quilt
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: fabric, linen/cotton, cotton, linen (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: thread, linen, silk, wool, cotton (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 77 in x 84 in; 196 cm x 212 cm