Early 20th Century Quilts

'Curllusion' quilt in Blanc de Vert colourway by British artist-maker, Emily Campbell. Emily’s knowledge of sewing combines with the formal and visual principles she learned as a two-dimensional designer to re-imagine the patchwork quilt. She has interpreted traditional patchwork geometry, dispensing with floral prints in favour of bold combinations of solid colour. Emily quilts all her designs for us by hand. Bespoke sizes are therefore possible. An accomplished undergraduate dress and costume maker, Emily progressed from an English degree to a diploma in Clothing Technology and became a pattern maker for the fashion designer Jean Muir. After completing her Master of Fine Arts at Yale School of Art she practised as a graphic designer at Pentagram in New York before embarking on a series of national and international programme director roles in the arts, design and education. In 2012, a quilt made from old denim and canvas work clothes featured in an exhibition about Gee’s Bend (the famed quilting community in Alabama). This prompted Emily to up-cycle the family’s old jeans into her first patchwork quilt. She studied rhythm, rule and variation in Anni Albers’ pattern drawings. She took inspiration from Gustav Klimt, Victor Pasmore and Ellsworth Kelly, and many more artists besides. Emily is the founder of Pemberton Qwilts. This takes its name from Sheila Frances Hayes, née Pemberton, who first taught Emily to sew. Three of Emily’s ‘TV Quilts’ were commissioned by Anya Hindmarch for her concept store at London Fashion Week 2023. These bear a single word of personal significance (see images). Emily was also among the textile artists selected for a group show at David Parr House, Cambridge that year.  Helen...

Antique hand stitched bedspread / blanket / coverlet / quilt featuring checkered geometric blocks of multicolored gingham, divided by white and...

One of a kind mid-20th century high decorative caliber Pictorial Persian Nain rug with a woman playfully playing with her Banjo. A mosque can be seen in the background. Measures:...

An antique Navajo rug from southwest America distinguished by an allover pattern of cruciform elements on a soft grey background. Rugs if this type have been collected for their auth...

Starbursts are just the beginning of the patterning of this exciting quilt. Diamonds are filled with Robbing Peter to Pay Paul type circles that look quite different when used in hal...

This Miniature Nine Patch quilt is one of the smallest in scale that I have seen. Each block measures less than 2 inches to a side. It is from the collection of the Packwood House Mu...

Navajo rugs and blankets are textiles produced by Navajo people of the Four Corners area of the United States. Navajo textiles are highly rega...

Ohio Amish blue & pink broken star quilt in pristine condition. Very fine quilting and piece work. Notice the fine hand stitched saw tooth binding.

Vibrant and unusual combination of a Garden Maze quilt pattern with LeMoyne Stars. In addition, Stars around the maze make a lively design with their...

19th century hand-stitched and quilted American Amish Crib Quilt in a” Diamond in a Square” pattern from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The quilt has a very fine hand stitching with primary colors of ivory, pink, burgundy, and navy blue. The Amish community in Pennsylvania hand craft the quilts for their own use using the material that they had on hand. It is a beautiful example of an upcycling and reuse of material that has utilitarian functions but is also a representation of the art and culture that is woven into it. Dimensions: 32” x 32” Date of Manufacture: 4th Quarter of the 1800s Place of Origin: Pennsylvania, United States Material: Cotton Condition: Good Amish Crib Quilts, Amish American Quilts, Pennsylvania Quilts, Lancaster County Quilts...

Navajo rugs and blankets are textiles produced by Navajo people of the four corners area of the United States. Navajo textiles are highly rega...

African American Southern hand stitched quilt from the mid 20th century. This wonderful geometric pattern quilt is very similar in design to the 19th and early 20th century quilts made by African Americans in Gee's Bend, Alabama in the Southern Region of the United States. The Gee’s Bend quilts typically have a geometric straight line design rather than the floral patterns from the New England area of the US and the material used is pieces of the old clothing that have been repurposed. The African American Southern quilts from the 19th and the early 20th century have become very collectable and extremely desirable. Dimensions: 60” x 90” Date of Manufacture: 1st Quarter of the 1900s Place of Origin: Southern United States Material: Cotton Condition: Good African American Quilts, Southern Quilts, Gee’s Bend Quilts, Alabama Quilts, 19th Century Quilts, African American Art, Antique African American Quilts, Vintage Raising Barn Quilt, Vintage Log...