Patchwork quilt cover of silk backed with strips of printed silk, made in Great Britain, ca. 1895

Patchwork quilt cover of silk backed with strips of printed silk. Random patchwork comprising of silk satins in a variety of plain colours with pieces of printed design in floral and ribbed dress silks, two examples of a brown brocaded silk, and a few examples of more 'avant garde' design. The front mostly has plain satins, the back with stripes of printed silk.

The silks are sewn around the edges with a gold coloured silk in herringbone stitches and there is a circle of seven embroidered stars in the centre of the cover.

The back is made up of strips (approximately 4 to 4.25 inches in width (10 cms)) of fine printed dress silks in various floral and modernistic designs. There is a double-side frill of pale brown silk around the edge.

Purchased. Registered File number 1986/1130.

At least two of the small patterns would appear to come from designs by CFA Voysey with others reminiscent of the work of LP Butterfield and the Silver Studio.

The silks used in the making of this cover are important and, with the exception of some woven silks on the top, show a range of designs, both conventional and fashionable, for a short period in the 1890s. It is likely that all the silks from the lining came from the same retail source as all are printed onto a similar ground and it is possible that the printed and plain satins also included came from the same shop. Whereas Libertys would appear the obvious origin of these, other similar establishments such as Stephens also of Regent Street could also be the source.

Because of the high standard of workmanship and use of contemporary fabric pieces it is possible that the cover was professionally embroidered and sold through one of the leading fashionable London shops of the period.

T.107-1986