Andy Warhol’s Centennial Quilt
View Similar Items
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 6
Andy Warhol’s Centennial Quilt
About the Item
Included with this quilt is the original catalog (with a thank you letter enclosed) and many news clipping about the sale.
Andy Warhol Quilt from Sotheby's 1988 Auction The sudden and untimely death of Andy Warhol in 1987 after routine gall bladder surgery was a shock to the modern art world. His personal collections were auctioned at Sotheby’s, New York, during a ten-day event from April 23 to May 3, 1988. Sotheby experts spent several months inventorying and cataloguing the materia.
The more than 10.000 items from the Warhol estate--the personal effects of his Manhattan home--make a statement about the man and the background of his art. The man who elevated American commercialism and pop iconography to an art form was a consummate collector of not only fine art but artifacts that represented American consumerism from the avant-garde to the ordinary.
This 1876 antique centennial quilt was included in the auction as part of the Americana and folk art collection. The quilt was made to commemorate the one hundred-year anniversary of the United States, just more than a decade after the
conclusion of the American Civil War. Thus it represents not only traditional American textile art, but attests to the endurance of a nation after a bloody and divisive civil war. This hand-sewn quilt is made of 42 squares of nine pieces each, with the exception of one square that contains 12 pieces. This seeming aberration of pattern is actually a tradition followed by quilters to make one block slightly different from the others. Some quilters use this convention as a signature, whether the effort is by an individual or a group.
The deceptively simple pattern interplays light and dark, juxtaposing boldly-colored shades of dark brown with lighter tones of taupe, ivory, white and pale blue. The rectangular lines of the pattern are accentuated by the predominance of linear designs in the fabrics, including stripes and checks.
The use of subtly-patterned small prints and polka dots offsets the linearity for a pleasant, balanced effect. The occasional use of light blue in the rectangular cross pieces and the triangular insets enlivens the color palette.The border between the squares features small red and blue stars on a white background. The numbers 1776 and 1876 occur at regular intervals, continuing the red, white and blue color scheme.
Warhol himself experimented with patchwork textile art. In his early years, he made patchwork collages by taking cuttings from clothing by couture designers including Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenberg and Valentino. He then used this exotic fabric to create new garments. This simple exercise exemplifies his genius: highlighting the familiar, bringing it to the attention of the viewer, and transforming the traditional into a contemporary statement.
- Dimensions:Height: 75 in (190.5 cm)Width: 90 in (228.6 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 1875
- Condition:
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:Seller: 448521stDibs: U1012038597705
About the Seller
5.0
Gold Seller
These expertly vetted sellers are highly rated and consistently exceed customer expectations.
Established in 1980
1stDibs seller since 2008
408 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 1 hour
More From This SellerView All
- Antique Mennonite American Quilt. 5 ft 3 in x 5 ft 6 inLocated in New York, NYA beautiful and rare antique American Mennonite quilt, country of origin: America, circa 1860. Size: 5 ft 3 in x 5 ft 6 in (1.6 m x 1.68 m) This rare, Mennonite antique America quilt from the 1860’s is a real treasure, as there are few that have survived. The Mennonites are a branch of the Amish community that broke off in the 1860’s over disagreements with the Old Order Amish. The Amish are a group of Pennsylvania Dutch immigrants to America who are known for adherence to strict religious beliefs and conservative views. Their women are notably known for their skill in quilt making. This brightly colored quilt is in what is known as the log cabin pattern. The squares are made from strips of fabric stacked in a way similar to the stacking of logs used to make a log home. This particular arrangement of colors is known as “streak of lightening” and is a popular Mennonite design. This pattern alternates light and dark diagonal rows of color. The border creates a whimsical frame to the pattern. These magnificent antique American quilts were often made from scraps or clothing that had worn out its usefulness. The Mennonites were known for their thriftiness and traditions that emphasized gratitude for the gifts one had been given. These designs were not haphazard and required tremendous amounts of planning and thought. The scraps would be collected and then the colors would be arranged. Finally, the pieces would be cut and stitched together with precision to make a top. Next a fluffy, warm stuffing would be sandwiched between a backing and the top. This would be hand stitched to accentuate the design and to keep the stuffing from shifting during use. This antique Mennonite quilt...Category
Antique Mid-19th Century American American Colonial Quilts
MaterialsWool
- Antique Silk Persian Yazd Textile Embroidery. 4 ft x 6 ftLocated in New York, NYAntique Silk Persian Yazd Textile / Embroidery, Origin: Persia, Circa: Late 19th Century. Size: 4 ft x 6 ft (1.22 m x 1.83 m)Category
Early 20th Century Persian Tribal Textiles
MaterialsSilk
- Vintage French Tapestry Rug. Size: 6 ft x 3 ft 6 inLocated in New York, NYVintage French Tapestry Rug, Origin: France, Circa: Mid 20th Century. Size: 6 ft x 3 ft 6 in (1.83 m x 1.07 m)Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Tapestries
MaterialsWool
- Refined Yet Rustic Antique Ottoman Textile Embroidery 3'2" x 6'Located in New York, NYRefined Yet Rustic Antique Ottoman Textile Embroidery, Country Of Origin: Turkey, Circa Date: 17th CenturyCategory
Antique 17th Century Turkish Other Quilts and Blankets
MaterialsWool
- Amazing Early 16th Century Peruvian Textile 1'2" x 1'4"Located in New York, NYAmazing Early 16th Century Peruvian Textile, Circa date: Late 16th CenturyCategory
Antique 16th Century Peruvian Other Quilts and Blankets
MaterialsWool
- Early American Hooked Rug. Size: 9 Ft 6 in x 11 Ft 7 inLocated in New York, NYHooked Rug, American, Early 20th Century – Size: 9 ft 6 in x 11 ft 7 in (2.9 m x 3.53 m) This sophisticated vintage American rug features a handsome allover pattern that incorporates a rich variety of monochromatic and variegated stripes arranged in staggered rows. The polychromatic field is further divided into a triad of distinct compartments that create a graphic stripe-within-a-stripe pattern. Each narrow segmented stripe is set against a variety of contrasting colors that create a harmonious low-key pattern comprised of varied hues. The motley assortment of bold colors creates a tonal blend that is superseded by the dark hues and enlivened by the vibrant accent colors. Reminiscent of piled books...Category
Early 20th Century American American Classical North and South American ...
MaterialsWool
You May Also Like
- Caesar's Crown QuiltLocated in Darnestown, MDBeautifully quilted version of a Caesar's Crown quilt. The diamond shapes of the border are repeated in each crown block, making for a nice interplay between the two. It is also inte...Category
Antique 19th Century American Quilts
MaterialsCotton
$2,800 - Evening Stars QuiltLocated in Darnestown, MDThis Evening Stars Quilt is a lovely variation of a traditional pattern. Placing one star within another and placing the red stars abutting one another creates a variety of optical i...Category
Antique 19th Century American Quilts
MaterialsCotton
$1,450 - Antique Quilt Postage ChainLocated in Los Angeles, CAThis fine masterpiece postage stamp chain in small pieces is in pristine condition with fine piecework. The quilting is fine as well.Category
20th Century American Adirondack Quilts and Blankets
MaterialsCotton
$875 Sale Price26% Off - Mariners Compass Crib QuiltLocated in Los Angeles, CAMariners Compass Crib Quilt. (Circa 1938) This Quilt is Very Finely Executed w/ Floating Stars on the Outside Boarder. Pristine condition. The quilt is fro...Category
20th Century American Country Quilts
MaterialsCotton
$1,516 Sale Price20% Off - Pots of Flowers QuiltLocated in Darnestown, MDThis Pots of Flowers Quilt is unusual in that it is simultaneously fanciful and elegant. The blossoms are far larger than their container giving this ot...Category
Early 20th Century American Quilts
$2,200 - Wild Goose Chase QuiltLocated in Darnestown, MDThis Wild Goose Chase Quilt has a wonderful variety of fabrics, including glazed chintz from the mid 19th century. The generous size of 91" x 98 " would make it an excellent bedcover...Category
Antique 19th Century American Quilts
MaterialsCotton
$1,475
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
More Antique Quilting Designs
Red White Quilt
Early American Quilt
Brown Antique Quilts
Antique Blue White Quilt
Andy Warhol Clothing
Antique Hand Made Quilts
Hand Sewn Quilt
Hand Sewn Quilts
Block Print Quilt
Block Printed Quilt
Antique Red White Quilt
Antique Red And White Quilt
Antique Red And White Quilts
Red And White Antique Quilts
Surgery Light
Sothebys Home
Antique White Quilts