Antique 1860s? Floral COPPER CHINTZ Quilt SUPERB DETAIL

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SUPERB EXAMPLE!MID-VICTORIAN "COPPER CHINTZ" QUILT:EXQUISITE 3-COLOR FLORAL PATTERN!This week at Tree Garden Workshop: PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR OTHER AUCTIONS!OUR LISTINGS ALWAYS HAVE A RELATED THEME,SO T ARE BOUND TO BE OTHER ITEMS THAT WILL INTEREST YOU. ITEM(S): Antique chintz quilt SUBJECT: Victorian floral pattern MANUFACTURER(S) Unknown seamstress; unknown textile manufacture SIZE: 82" X 82" WEIGHT: 5-1/2 lbs. COLOR(S): Cranberry red; blue-green pastel; black (see pictures) MATERIAL: Cotton (assumed) chintz; cotton (assumed) batting AGE: 1850-1870 (educated guess) ORIGINAL PACKAGING: N/A DESCRIPTION: we have a striking antique chintz quilt. I was given this quilt by my employer 35 years ago. She was a collector of fine antiques and we were, in fact, together when she found/purchased it at an antique store along the Maine coast. We both instantly admired it ... and she graciously purchased it for me. My employer referred to this type of quilt as a "copper chintz" quilt. At first, I reasoned that "copper" referred to the reddish color that predominates, but I have come to understand that it may actually refer to the copper plates used in printing the exquisitely sharp (and detailed) floral pattern. The colors are remarkably attractive together. I think that they were what drew us both to the quilt originally. Both the color scheme and the floral pattern are distinctly Victorian in style. The owner of the store estimated that it dated from the time of the Civil War. From my knowledge of American decorative motifs, I would find this to be a fair assessment. Also, chintz was a hugely popular fabric at the time. As you can see, this quilt in not a patchwork quilt but, rather, a quilt whose exterior is made up of 25"wide lengths of the same fabric. In true quilt form, the interior is padded and filled-out with batting (which must be cotton). Both sides of the quilt are identical and composed of the same cotton (assumed) chintz fabric. The facing sides of the quilt are stabilized to each other (as well as to the interior batting) with intermittent stitches of thick white cotton string. I am as certain as I can be that all the materials used in the beauty are original. Around the exterior you can see neat machine stitching. I assume that the aforementioned lengths of fabric were joined with machine stitching as well. I have loved having this beautiful old chintz quilt, but for years now it has been tucked away carefully in light-fast storage. It has only been displayed a handful of times over the years of my ownership. It is time that this beauty find its way to a knowledgable - loving - collector. My Please read the "Condition" text (immediately below).NOTE: I have received the following information through the kindness of a auction viewer: "the lockstitch sewing machine was almost nonexistent in home use [until Singer introduced the Fiddlehead machine in the 1870s - prior to that] most home machines were chainstitch, which produces a very different stitch. Chintzes were also popular around the turn of the century - which is also when comforters such as this (particularly with the sort of tying yours shows) were most prevalent." So, in the opinion of this viewer, the quilt most likely dates to between 1880 and 1900. We welcome any additional informed views. CONDITION: VERY GOOD - considering its 135-150 year age. This quilt was NEVER washed or dry-cleaned on my 35 year watch (while it may have been laundered many decades ago). NOTE: t is a faintly musty fragrance to the quilt (the sort that usually accompanies fabrics of this vintage). As mentioned above, this quilt has spent much of the past 35 years (and all of the last 20) in dry, lightfast storage. The material, seams and stitching appear to be strong ... but this is a VERY relative term when it comes to Victorian era textiles (which, considering their age, must be considered as delicate). The colors are deep and true (although one side of the quilt is slightly paler). I can find NO stain... read more

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