This Baltimore Presentation quilt is appliquéd with vibrant floral wreaths, a delicate basket of fruits and flowers, and assorted birds in multicolored cottons. It is most likely the work of Mary Simon (born 1810), who is thought to have worked as a professional quiltmaker in Baltimore during the 1840s and 1850s. The designs on the quilt are separate bits of brightly colored fabric. Since this quilt was made completely by one person, most likely to commemorate a specific occasion, it is best described as a Presentation quilt rather than an Album quilt, in which blocks would have been made by a group of quiltmakers. Because the quilt came to the Museum without a provenance, the circumstances of its commission are unknown.

Open full-size image