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Archipelago; Archipelago; Original design

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QUILT INDEX RECORD

11-37-7140

Essay:

Archipelago
1983
Nancy Halpern
Natick, Massachusetts
96"w x 74.5"h
Hand & machine pieced; hand appliquéd; hand quilted
Quilted signature in the lower right hand corner: Nancy Halpern Archipelago 1983
Cotton & synthetic fabrics

The New England Quilters' Guild commissioned this piece in 1982. It was unveiled at New England Images I, the Guild's first major quilt show, which raised funds toward the opening of a quilt museum. Archipelago was the first quilt in the collection of the New England Quilt Museum. Its unique house motif was adopted as the symbol of The New England Quilt Museum. Archipelago was designated one of the twentieth century's best American quilts in 1999. Nancy's original design features houses and trees on the islands off the coast of Maine where many artists live and find inspiration. The sense of community is reinforced by her use of fabrics given to her by 22 friends. Her undulating quilting lines suggest the movement of the sea, fog, and ocean breezes.

Gift of The New England Quilters' Guild with funding provided by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Council on the Arts and Humanities, 1983.01

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project - MassQuilts

Who documented this quilt?

Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project, MassQuilts; New England Quilt Museum Collection

MASS-Quilts ID Number:

5614

Alternate inventory control number:

NEQM# 1983.01

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public Museum, Library or Institution

Quilt owner:

New England Quilt Museum

Quilt owner's city:

Lowell

Quilt owner's state:

Massachusetts (MA)

Quilt owner's county:

Middlesex

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Width:

92.5

Length:

72.5

Quilt's title:

Archipelago

Pattern name (maker/owner/historical):

Archipelago

Quilt top made by:

Halpern, Nancy

Quiltmaker's state:

Massachusetts (MA)

Quiltmaker's city:

Natick

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

How did owner acquire quilt?

Gift

Where the quilt was made, city:

Natick

Where the quilt was made, state:

Massachusetts (MA)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

1976-1999

When was the quilt finished?

1983

Format:

Finished quilt

Layout:

Nontraditional or art

Fabric fibers:

Cotton

Patterns:

Print

Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:

plain weave

Predominant colors:

Blue or Navy

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilting:

Hand quilting

Describe the quilting designs used:

free form

Quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

10-Sep

Binding and edging:

Separate binding applied

Binding; fiber:

Cotton

Binding; weave:

Plain weave

Binding; pattern:

stripe

Batting:

Cotton

Backing, number of pieces:

two pieces

Backing, fiber:

Cotton

Backing, predominant color:

Pink

Inscription, type:

Signature

Inscription, content:

quilt title

Inscription, technique:

Embroidery

Condition:

Excellent/like new

Condition, structurally sound?

This quilt is structurally sound.

Pattern name, variations and comments:

Original design

Contests entered:

Archipelago was designated one of the twentieth century's best American quilts in 1999.

Date estimated by an antique dealer, quilt historian or appraiser:

1983

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

New England Quilt Museum

Cite this Quilt

Halpern, Nanc. Archipelago. 1983. From Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project - MassQuilts, Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project, MassQuilts; New England Quilt Museum Collection. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=11-37-7140. Accessed: 03/28/24

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