Nineteenth Century Newtown Album Quilt Comes Home

 

An album quilt found early this summer in a consignment shop in Florida has made its way back to Newtown, where it was originally quilted during the mid to late Nineteenth Century. Antiques dealer Bob Withington of York, Maine, alerted Helen and Scudder Smith to this quilt and offered to bring it down to Newtown for a first-hand look.

The quilt arrived in a green fabric box, possibly the one it had been stored in for years, and unfolded to a wonderful combination of 25 squares within a floral border. Green and red dominated the designs, with a smattering of blue in some of the squares. Except for two squares, all were created by Newtown residents and each is signed, designating the maker. Newtowners involved in working this quilt include members of the following families: Beers, Blackman, Botsford, Booth, Clark, Glover, Henderson, Nichols, Peck, Prindle, Sherwood, and Stilson. The Burritt family of Roxbury and the Foote family of New York, probably relatives, were also square makers.

The quilt measures 87 by 86 inches and within the quilt squares are birds, hearts, cats, a schoolhouse with children in the front yard, a locomotive, an early fire hose wagon, a dog, and flowers. The squares are divided by a red and yellow calico fabric and the border, of red and green, is a vine-flower design. The quilt is in perfect condition and has never been washed.

“Our first thought was this quilt should be in the Newtown Historical Society collection,” Mr Smith said, “so we spoke to Lincoln Sander, president of the society, of its existence and possible purchase.”

As it turned out, funds were not available from the society, “So we bought the quilt to protect it and worked out a plan for the historical society to raise funds to acquire it,” Mr Smith said. The consignment shop owner, knowing that this was something of value, gained an appraisal from Sotheby’s upon which Mr Withington determined his selling price of $12,000. The quilt, if the Smiths had not purchased it, would have been offered for sale by Mr Withington at The New Hampshire Antiques Show in early August.

The plan worked out between the Smiths and the historical society was to create a poster of the quilt and inscribe the name of each donor who gave $500 within a square. This poster would always be displayed beside the quilt, honoring those who preserved it for the Town of Newtown. Janet Woycik, librarian at C.H. Booth Library, has graciously consented to hang the quilt in the library where it will have proper space and more visibility.

To date, the following have bought a square: Mary Starr Smith Adams; Scott, Sherri, Scudder and Judd Baggett; Dick Button and Dennis Grimaldi; Joan Glover Crick; Fairfield Auction — Rosie and Jack DeStories; Mr and Mrs Tucker Frey; Jeanette and Howard Lasher; David, Benjamin and Gregory Smith; Helen and Scudder Smith; Mr and Mrs Lyndon Thomas; and The Dana-Holcombe House — Jane and John Vouros. There are several others who have expressed interest in buying a square and a good number of smaller donations have been received.

“We are hopeful that other individuals, clubs, businesses or organizations will step up and complete the purchase of squares so that the quilt can become a permanent part of the society’s collection,” Mr Smith said, “and we know that the many people who frequent our library will enjoy seeing this well-preserved part of Newtown’s history.”

Any donation, large or small, should be made out to The Newtown Historical Society and mailed to Helen Smith, Box 5503, Newtown CT 06470, or dropped off at The Bee office, 5 Church Hill Road. All contributions are tax deductible.

The public is invited to stop by the office of The Newtown Bee next week, Monday through Wednesday, September 19–21, when the quilt will be on display.