Object Details
- Duigan, Elspeth
- Description
- Elspeth Duigan crafted this fine example of a white-work quilt in 1849. She divided the center into 8 large and 4 small squares each enclosing stuffed floral motifs. According to family information, she quilted the initials “E.D.” in one of the corner squares and it incorporates the date “1849” with the edge of the square a “1”, the “E” is also an “8,” the “4” is represented by the “D” (the fourth letter of the alphabet), and “9” is the top part of the “D”. The lining is a very thin cotton layer, and the motif stuffing is cotton and cotton cord. All the motifs are outlined in quilting. The background is quilted with parallel diagonal lines 3/16-inch apart, 13-14 stitches per inch.
- Elspeth Duigan was born in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1831. She married Mr. Thompson in Jamestown and later they moved to Lexington, Kentucky. During the Civil War they moved further West to Lexington, Missouri. Elspeth died in 1894.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Gift of Mrs. Georgia Jacobs
- 1849
- ID Number
- 1981.0682.01
- catalog number
- 1981.0682.01
- accession number
- 1981.0682
- Object Name
- quilt
- Physical Description
- fabric, cotton (overall material)
- thread, cotton (overall material)
- filling, cotton (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 88 in x 81 in; 224 cm x 206 cm
- place made
- United States: Virginia, Jamestown Island, Jamestown
- See more items in
- Home and Community Life: Textiles
- Quilts
- Domestic Furnishings
- Textiles
- National Museum of American History
- Subject
- Civil War
- Quilting
- Record ID
- nmah_556177
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a3-c67d-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
