Antique Quilts Missing from Museum Collection
In 1947 my mother left two of my Great Grandmothers hand made quilts on loan at the Pickering Beach Museum, in Sackets Harbor, New York. She visited the museum about 1959 and the quilts were there on the beds in the two little bedrooms. She said they had my great grandmother's name attached to them: Lodemia Clarke, born 1809 and died 1890. When I went back to check on the quilts in 1986 there was very little left of the museum's collections. Missing were my two quilts along with much more. I have a post card picture (attached ) of the front bedroom of the little museum, one of my quilts on the bed. (circa 1959)
As I remember the back grounds of both quilts were white with the blocks done in a patterned fabric one in Greens and the other in Wine Reds, as I remember the colors, ( It has been a long time since I've seen them ). They were made probably between 1840-1880. They were all hand stitched with very close diagnal lines of quilting. I still believe these quilts are out there somewhere as they were so fine and beautifully done. I would appreciate your posting this plea and the picture on your web site. If anyone has any leads I can be contacted,
- Sara Whitaker Hale
- 209 Waltham Street
- Lexington, Ma., 02421
- 781-861-8164
- klhale@mit.edu.
- 209 Waltham Street
I am doing this now, as I've just become able to scan in the picture and found your web site. I don't want to let these quilts go without trying to locate them.
Sincerely Yours, Sara Whitaker Hale