QUILT INDEX RECORD
12-8-5651
Who documented this quilt?
Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights
Where are the records for this quilt housed?
Michigan State University Museum
Michigan Quilt Project Number:
10.0175
If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:
2010:109.1
Object label:
Nazi Swastika Quilt
Maker unknown
Berlin, Germany
c1935
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2010:109.1
Essay:
Frank Sanders, an optometrist in South Carolina and a charter member of the South Carolina Historical Preservation Trust, brought this quilt from Berlin after WWII where he served in the U.S. military.
Quilt's title:
Nazi Swastika Quilt
If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?
Purchased the quilt
Where the quilt was made, country:
Germany
Time period:
1930-1949
When was the quilt finished?
c1935
Quilt is presently used as:
Museum collection
This is a:
Finished quilt
How wide is the quilt?
78"
How long is the quilt?
68"
Shape of edge:
Straight
Shape of corners:
Straight
What color is the quilt?
Black; Blue; Gray; Red; White
Quilt's condition:
Good/moderate use
Damage:
Dirty; Stains
Describe the quilt's layout:
Medallion or framed center
Medallion size:
The center swastika is 26” across. The center medallion is 38” x 38”.
Describe the borders:
There are 4 vertical borders, 7 1/2” light blue, 7 1/2” red, 3 1/2” gray, 4” red. There are 3 horizontal borders, 6” gray, 4 1/2” red, 3 1/2” gray.
Fiber types used to make the quilt top:
Cotton; Other synthetic
Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:
Machine Piecing
Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:
Machine Applique
Materials used to make the back:
Cotton
How is the binding made?
Back turned to front
What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?
half inch - one inch
What kind of filling is used in the quilt?
Cotton
How are the layers held together?
Hand quilting
Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:
4
Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:
4
Quilting designs used, overall motifs:
Grid diamond
Source of the information on this quilt:
Museum employee
Ownership of this quilt is:
Public- Michigan State University Museum
Quilt owner's name:
Michigan State University Museum
Quilt owner's city:
East Lansing
Quilt owner's county:
Ingham
Quilt owner's state:
Michigan (MI)
Quilt owner's country:
United States
How was this quilt acquired?
Purchase
Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:
Ted Gragg was the seller of the Swastika quilt. When Gragg was 8 years old he went to an optometrist, Frank Sanders. Sanders started the SC Historical Preservation Trust and the quilt came from his estate. Gragg first saw the quilt when he was 10 years old. He doesn't know how Saunders got the quilt, but thinks it was brought from Berlin after WWII. Saunders served in the U.S. military right after WWII, so it is possible he collected it then.
Access and copyright information:
Restricted
Who photographed this quilt?
Pearl Yee Wong
Copyright holder:
MSU Board of Trustees
Cite this Quilt
Nazi Swastika Quilt. c1935. From Michigan State University Museum, Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-5651. Accessed: 04/24/24
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