Brashears Baltimore Album

Textile

The Virginia Quilt Museum

Brashears Baltimore Album Quilt

Name/Title

Brashears Baltimore Album

Entry/Object ID

1998.005.001

Description

This Baltimore Album quilt consists of 25 blocks measuring 16.25'' x 16.75''. The quilt is worked in red and green applique on a white background. The four corner blocks are the same: a wreath of green hearts with large blossoms in each corner and small blossoms between them. The center blocks at top and bottom are repeated, as are the center blocks on each side. Family legend states the characters represent George Washington, but research indicates it is a fabric printed to commemorate the 1848 election of Zachary Taylor on his horse "Whitey". The remaining blocks are varied but all are floral and leaf motif. The blocks are separated by a red cording and bordered by a red swag with three buds at each joining. Construction techniques and embellishments include hand piecing, hand applique, reverse applique, stuffed flowers, and embroidered stems. The hand quilting includes an outline of the applique, crosshatch in the background, and echo of the swags. The backing is a cream color and the binding is narrow red fabric applied.

Context

This quilt was made in memory of Joseph Brashears, a ship’s captain from Mayo, Maryland. He was lost in a shipwreck off the West Indies, and his family and friends made this quilt as a memorial. It has been passed down to those in the family named Joseph or Josephine. There are several theories on who these figures might represent, but it is unknown who the figure actually pays tribute to.

Collection

Permanent Collection

Acquisition

Accession

1998.005

Source or Donor

Josephine Yenney Barber

Made/Created

Artist

"Friends" of Joseph Brashears

Date made

circa 1848

Place

* Untyped Place

Arundel County, Maryland

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Location

Center Block

Transcription

"Joseph Brashears/His quilt/Made by his friends/Presented to his cousin, Ella Knighton/1848"

Material/Technique

Ink

Notes

Additional signatures were on quilt, but are now very faded

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Overall Quilt Dimensions

Width

95 in

Length

97 in

Dimension Description

Individual Block Dimensions

Width

16-1/4 in

Length

16-3/4 in

Material

Cotton

Color

Red, Green, Yellow

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Notes

Wear on the binding; staining - some more prominent than others; fading of signatures; fading of red boarders

Overall Condition

Very Good

Notes

Minor wear on the binding and cording; spots on the back