7: AN 1883 KANSAS QUILT WITH CHILD'S HAND & FAMILY HISTORY

The story of this fine folk art applique quilt revolves around the stitched outline of six-year-old Timothy Baker McNabb's little hand in the center of every block. The quilting is that of his mother, Malvina Terissa McNabb (1842-1920) of Linn County, Kansas. The quilt was made in 1883 but is lettered 'T.B. McNabb Made in 1877 - March 15 His Hand' in black on the muslin side of one block. Timothy was born in 1877 and died in 1933.

The handiwork is a nicely executed version of the 'Floral Cockade' motif seen in American sampler, or album quilts of the 1840s and again around the Civil War. This version displays sixteen floating eight-sided Cockade designs in red, green and orange radiating stylized flower heads tipped in a soft pink sprigged calico. The center of each Cockade design is stitched with the likeness of Tim McNabb's hand. The blocks are framed in red, green and orange gridwork while the whole is backed in muslin and finished in a green binding.

The archive of documentation that accompanies this quilt include census records, family history, obituaries and genealogy on the McNabb family of Tennessee and Kansas back to 1795.
Measures 68 x 82 inches.
Very good condition, noting scattered stains and toning, one area of tattering on the binding.
Provenance: The Estate of the Legendary Collector J. Loyd Davis, Prairie Village, KS.
$500 - $1,000