Historical Society to unveil prized Martha Howard quilt
By Canton CitizenBy Kathy Anderson
History and quilting buffs alike are in for a treat this Saturday at the Canton Public Library as the Canton Historical Society will display a fully restored, 18th century quilt hand made by a Canton bride in 1786, in its pristine and original glory.
Martha Howard's quilt will be on display at the library on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Known as the Martha Howard quilt, the salmon-colored coverlet is subtly textured with feathery scallop and leaf designs. It had been stored in a wooden box in the Historical Society’s collection for over a century, and thanks to a $3,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, plus public and private donations, the public can view the quilt in the Community Room downstairs at the library from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“The quilt’s workmanship is extraordinary,” said Wally Gibbs, president of the Canton Historical Society. “Even in 1786 it would have taken Martha three months to complete, working on it full time. The appraiser said she ‘must have had hands of steel’ to complete it.”
According to Historical Society member Pat Johnson, the society originally had the quilt assessed by the American Textile History Museum in March 2008.
“At that time, the conservators for the Textile Museum found extensive evidence of insect activity, which has caused fiber damage and loss,” Johnson said. “Given this assessment, the [Historical Society] contracted Deirdre Windsor of Windsor Conservation Inc. for a comprehensive assessment of the quilt.”
Windsor further identified stained areas and loss of fabric ranging from pinpoint perforations to larger holes concentrated around the stains. Johnson said Windsor recommended immediate cleaning to remove any remaining insects and/or their eggs, remove acidic impurities and neutralize the organic stains, which attracted the insects. Windsor also recommended repairing the fabric where the worst insect damage had occurred to stabilize the quilt so that handling it would not cause further damage.
The 95 ¾-inch by 90 ¾-inch Martha Howard quilt is a “whole cloth” quilt, which is composed of solid panels of fabric instead of many smaller pieces, sewn together into a design. The whole-cloth quilt style is one of the earliest brought to America by immigrants and relies on highly skilled needlework to create the elaborate design.
Martha Howard was the wife of the First Congregational minister Zachariah Howard, whom she wed in 1787. Rev. Howard led the parish from 1786 until his death in 1806. Known as Polly Crafts prior to her marriage, Martha outlived her husband by 50 years. She resided in the David Tilden House — “The Little Red House” — from the time of her marriage until her death in 1856.
Although she had no children of her own, Martha invited Augustus Gill and his family to share the house with her in 1850. The Gills were so taken by Martha’s kindness and generosity that they named their daughter Martha Howard Gill, who later married Charles Norris Draper, heir to the Draper Brothers Woolen Mill, which still manufactures textiles to this day. It was Martha and Charles Draper who donated the quilt to the Canton Historical Society.
“I think what is really beautiful is the self-determination and self-discipline to create something utilitarian yet also of beauty that really showed her skills,” said Marie Gibbs of the Historical Society. “Besides being a feather in Canton’s cap, there is a Massachusetts quilt on display at the Smithsonian Museum that is not as old as ours. We think it is a gem to the town and the town should be aware of its history.”
Marie Gibbs said the society is grateful to generous donations from Draper Brothers, the Bank of Canton, Harbor One Credit Union, and the Dedham Institute for Savings to help offset the cost of the quilt’s restoration.
“The Canton Historical Society is very proud and honored to hold the Martha Howard Quilt in public trust, and we are very serious about conserving this work of art for future generations,” Johnson said. “The Martha Howard Quilt is also of national interest as a reflection of social history, development of the textile industry, and the important role of women in domestic life in the late 18th century.”
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Posted by Canton Citizen
on Apr 8 2010. Filed under Features, News.
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