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Very Rare Indian Crib Quilt
Mid-18th c

a rare examle made from Indian hand block printed and mordant-dyed and painted cotton, printed on the Corromandel Coast. The quilted stitches are not very even. The Dutch market liked red ground cloths from India, whereas the British preferred a light background colour. What is unusual on this quilt is has block print fabric on both sides.The early cot quilts in An Moonan's book have the top side in a handpainted chintz and the other in a block print. An Moonan has seen a photo of this and felt the fabric Indian but perhaps the quilting Dutch.  Indian sewing can be poor and I cannot see why this was not quilted at the time.

 

 

 

Cataloguing

with a star applique in a coiling flower print in red, pink, puce and soft green, on a ground with a smaller tightly coiled stems containing flowerheads, in beige and soft green on a madder ground, the star quilted in scallops round the points, the quilt's corners with semi circular quarter moon quilting, and unquilted outer border of same design to the star, the reverse similar without the star motif, the whole wadded with cotton, 30 x 23 1/2in or 76 x 60 cm.

 

Condition

Basically in very good condition. Could do with a clean. Corners need a few stitches. The stuffing can be seen where the fabric has parted at the corners. I can get the quilt conserved and cleaned if you wish, which would be quite easy.

Comments

This quilt originates from the Kruyt family from Zaanstreek, the prosperous area north of Amsterdam. The family moved to Dordrecht in the 19th century.

The following samplers were purchased at the same time from the same family:  An 18th century sampler by Geer Truida Kruyt , a darning sampler from the early 19th century (no name)  and several late cross stitch samplers initialed SK and CK, probably two sisters presumably from the the Kruyt family.  It would be nice to keep them together..........

• Moonan, An A History of Dutch Quilts for  chapter on Indian crib quilts