Bachelor's Puzzle

Textile

-

The Virginia Quilt Museum

Name/Title

Bachelor's Puzzle

Entry/Object ID

1997.001.027

Description

Pieced quilt in red and gold features a zig-zag or streak of lightning border and green binding. This quilt features a triple border. There is a plain border set with a 3.5'' zig-zag or streak of lightning border in the middle. At the top of the quilt, there is a double border, which features 3.5'' diagonal half square triangles. There is an applied top to back binding done by hand with square corners. It measures 3/8'' and is an acid green color. The batting is a medium cotton. The entire quilt is hand quilted with 13 stitches per inch. There are diverse patterns throughout, but some patterns include a four petal shape, crosses, single cables in the border, and mirror quilting that follows the top design.

Context

Mary Spitzer Etter of Harrisonburg, Virginia donated her family's entire quilt collection to the Virginia Quilt Museum in 1997. The collection contained 27 quilts, most of which were made by Mary's aunts, the Spitzer sisters. Their names were Sarah Josephine Spitzer (Walters), Margaret Melinda Spitzer (Jones), and Ellen Rebecca Spitzer. It is unknown if the other two Spitzer sisters, Hannah Spitzer (Brown) and Jane Spitzer (Evers), did much quilting. Of the quilts completed by the Spitzer sisters, there is a single initial embroidered on the front of quilt to mark who made each quilt. Ellen Spitzer's daughter, Irene, also completed three pieces of the collection. Some of the quilts contain blocks were done by Mabel Spitzer, Mary's mother. These blocks were then quilted by either Berta or Effie Long, Mabel's neighbors. There are a few quilts not made by a Spitzer, yet they were still made by relatives of the Spitzer family.

Collection

Permanent Collection

Acquisition

Accession

1997.001

Source or Donor

Mary Spitzer Etter

Notes

Donated Feb. 23, 1997

Made/Created

Artist

Unknown Maker(s)

Date made

circa 1900

Notes

Possibly by the New York cousins of Emma Baldwin Spitzer, Clara and/or Phyllis Reynolds.

Other Names and Numbers

Other Number

H192

Dimensions

Dimension Description

OVerall Quilt Dimensions

Width

84 in

Length

96 in

Materials

Material

Cotton

Material Notes

Solids and prints

Colors

Color

Red, Yellow

Color Notes

Butterscotch yellow and rust brown

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Notes

Multiple stains, holes, and ares of wear; examination done by Intern

Overall Condition

Good

Notes

Some fading and fabric deterioration. Wearing on binding. Some soiled areas.