Title: Princess Feather (untitled by the institution)
Maker: Elizabeth Cunningham Leggett
Date: 1845
Geography: Ohio, United States
Culture: American
PredominantFibers: Cotton
Dimensions:100.5 x 85 inches(255 x 216 cm)
Collection: The Henry Ford Museum
IDNumber: 70.80.1
This quilt is an example of several characteristics represented in quilts of this mid-1800s period, such as the pattern “Princess Feather”, the use of red and green in appliqué, a four-block setting, and a saw tooth border. Currently the most common name for the whirling feather design depicted in this quilt is “Princess Feather”. It has gone by many names over the years. The design and its name have been inspired by plants, the Prince of Wales, assorted Revolutionary figures and their hats, and more.
This design has gone by several names such as: Prince’s Feather, California Plume, Feather Rose, Washington Feather, Fern, Modesh Feathered Star, Kossuth Feather, and Princess Feather.
The feather designs vary in size, shape, number of feathers per design, color, and rotation direction. They can be swirling clockwise or counterclockwise, but in all the examples that I have examined, all the feathers in a Princess Feather quilt are going in the same direction (most common is counterclockwise).
The center of the pattern also varies in shape and design, but what is common in all of them is that there are feathers swirling around a center point. Of the many examples of this design, they are mostly made with four Princess Feather blocks set in a balanced “four-block” design, popular during this period. Setting variations with one central Princess Feather or a nine-block setting among others can be found, but far less frequently than the four-block arrangement.
Lastly, another common element in Princess Feather quilts is that they most always have an ornate border design of some kind that supports the color way of the feathers. These border designs can vary greatly but are almost always present in some form or another. This example shows an appliqué border with a wavy stem, flowing flowers and leaves, and rounded corner motifs that are flanked saw-tooth edges. Individually these elements all evoke a feeling of movement, and together they complement the swirling center feathers nicely.
Middle class quilt makers in the United States during 1840-1870 developed and perfected a distinctive style of floral appliqué that is now viewed as the era when “red and green” quilts were in their glory.
The appliquéd flowers and stems were less realistic than in previous eras and quilters developed a stylized interpretation of what they saw in nature, tulips were particularly popular. When German immigrants came to America, particularly those who settled in Pennsylvania before moving westward to Ohio, they brought their artistic traditions with them.
The distinctive red and green floral appliqué patterns, often featuring tulips, can be attributed to German heritage influences in American quilting. Due to improvements and developments in the fabric making process during this period, access to calicos and other fabrics was much easier and more affordable than generations before and women would purchase cloth specifically for these appliqué projects. Colors such as red and green were more stable and available.
Interested in learning more about quilting history? Explore further with one of my quilt history lectures.
References:
Brackman, B. (2017, January 22). Princess feather: Names & hats. Barbara Brackman’s <br> MATERIAL CULTURE. https://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/2017/01/princess-feather-names-hats.html
Crews, P. C., & Ducey, C. (2018). American Quilts in the Industrial Age, 1760-1870: The International Quilt Study Center and Museum Collections. University of Nebraska Press.
Quilt, circa 1845. The Henry Ford. (n.d.).https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/246372#slide=gs-403464
