Featured ID Quilt Star of Bethlehem

Hello again. I would like to know the age and value of this quilt. I believe the pattern is Star of Bethlehem. Thank you!

 

Size?
It does not look like Star of Bethlehem, or even one of its variations, to me. I've not (yet!) seen a SofB quilt which incorporates rounded pieces.
Offhand, I think it's possible it may be a mass-produced item.

Editing for clarity: Traditionally, a Star of Bethlehem, aka Lone Star, quilt incorporates a single large star central on the quilt, not many smaller ones. It's also usually comprised of pieced diamond shapes and is intended to show off advanced quilting skills.

 

Thank you!

 

It measures 75" X 65".

 

I'd be thinking commercial quilt from the way it's made. The stitching is done along side the seams instead of in them where it belongs.

 

This is my quilt, I had my mama post it here for me (thanks, mom!). To me it looks like every single stitch on this quilt is hand done. Am I wrong? Here’s a couple close ups. I've also attached a page from a 1920's magazine showing names of quilt patterns. The one I have circled is called Bethlehem Star and it looks a lot like the pattern on mine which is why I was wondering if it was Bethlehem Star- perhaps an early iteration?

 

The Chinese ones often sort-of look hand-stitched, but a good inspection of a real one and you can tell the difference.

 

I agree that it does look like the "Bethlehem Star" from your old magazine page.

Still, IMHO, it's a "vintage" (possibly as old as 1980s/90s) mass-produced import quilt. Yes, the stitches do appear hand-done and may have been. But the quality is poor, the stitches are very uneven and spaced out. It's typical of the decorative stuff sold in department stores or through catalogs at that time. Of course, I'm not actually handling it and am basing my opinion on photos.

It appears some of the fabric pieces are torn... what kind of batting (filling) does it have? Poly fiberfill... cotton...? That info may be very helpful. Could we see a close-up photo of that? If it's cotton, we may have a re-think...

It's just that the quilting and finishing stiches are so poorly done... and therefore so typical of decorative import quilts... But I suppose we must keep in mind that not all quilters were skilled in the craft.

 

New info:

I'm finding that your pattern is called "Rose Album".

 

Wow, how did you find that?? It looks like cotton batting to me, but I’m no expert, obviously, or I wouldn’t be here!

 

Hmmmm....
Let's ask for @Northern Lights Lodge to weigh in.

 

Hi everyone,

I'm not a quilt expert; however... my gut feeling is that it is older. At a glance it is a very striking and pretty quilt!

That does look like "cotton" batt to me. I do know that if a quilt is held up to the light and there are dark dots (cotton seeds) within the batting then it is real old (1800'ish) ... without seeds perhaps not as old.

The fact that it _IS_ poorly worked (not square, odd poorly worked stitches in abundance!) leads me to believe that it is even too "amateurish" for even a Chinese export.

The coarseness of the fabric (in the photo 7450) even look coarse enough for flour sacking. I'm tending to fall on the side of American made - depression era... and I feel like it was a new quilter's work.

The fact that there are a number of rows around each piece and there are GOBS of stitches... I feel like this is a youngster's work.

Someone who would be working a quilt for money (like a Chinese Export piece) would have much larger and fewer and, perhaps even a little neater, stitches. An American adult may have been hastily stitching a quilt for necessity sake - but again - there are too many wasted stitches for that... and even THAT is too messy for an adult.

To me, everything points to a youngster... perhaps in her early teens who was working on something either utilitarian or perhaps even something for her trousseau. Truly made by someone who had very little sewing experience!

That's my two cents!

Enjoy the day... and the discussion!

Cheerio Leslie

 

I purchased a department store hand-quilted import bed quilt in the 1990s that was sewn extremely similar to this (piecing and quilting technique, not actual pattern), that's what I'm mentally comparing OPs quilt to. But mine had poly fiberfill batting, not cotton. The fabric on mine broke down in a similar fashion, hence it's placement in the garbage can after about 10 years of use and laundering.