QUILT INDEX RECORD

33-29-47

Description of quilt:

Commemorative Quilt (Sears Archives Photo)

Essay:

The 1933 Sears National Quilt Contest was announced in January 1933 with a deadline of May 15, 1933. Over 24,000 quilts were entered at local Sears stores or sent to one of 10 regional mail order houses. Quilts were judged at each site with the top three winners moving onto the next round. Finally just 30 quilts reached the final judging held at the Sears Pavilion on the 1933 Chicago World's Fair site. Sears offered a $200 bonus for an original designed quilt in the theme of the Century of Progress. If a quilter took the challenge, she/he had only four months to complete the design and execution of the quilt. In the 21st century, these quilts would be considered "art" quilts. This one incorporates the Y representing the Chicago River which flows through Chicago. Small circular historical vignettes encircle the central Y. The rays emanating out from the central design look something like comet tails. Look closely at the bottom right corner, for the attached entry tag and an envelope. Also notice that a ribbon is attached at the midpoint on the right side. This quilt may have won a prize at a local level, but it did not reach the final round. In 1934 Sears mounted a second quilt exhibit in the Sears Pavilion on the fair site. The top 10 regional winners were displayed along with about a dozen commemorative quilts. Sears photographed this quilt at that time. This is the only known image of the quilt.

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Merikay Waldvogel Legacy Project

Who documented this quilt?

Merikay Waldvogel Legacy Project; Sears Quilt Contest 1933 Chicago World's Fair

Merikay Waldvogel Legacy Project Number:

104

Describe the relationship to the quilt's maker:

Information about this quilt comes only from the Sears archive photo.

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Century of Progress

Type of inscription:

Date; Message

What is inscribed on the quilt?

The tag is attached to this quilt. With a magnifying glass, we may glean more information about the quilt and its maker. The official contest entry label includes contest entry information: Name of Maker. Pattern Name, When Quilt Was Made, Selling Price if willing to sell, Quilter's Name, Address, City and State, Sears Store Name/Number. Entry label also included the following statement: "I certify that this quilt is entirely of my own making, and that it has never been exhibited previously" to which the quilter signed her name.

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

1933

Method used to make the inscription:

Other

Describe the method used to inscribe the quilt:

Applique

Location of inscription:

other

Describe where the inscription was found:

Front

Time period:

1930-1949

When was the quilt started?

1933

When was the quilt finished?

1933

Describe the quilt's layout:

Medallion or framed center

Subject of the quilt:

Century of Progress, Chicago History

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Solid/plain

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Outline

Describe the quilting designs used:

From the b/w photo, cannot tell if quilting is by machine or hand.

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Why was the quilt made?

Challenge or Contest entry

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Where did the quiltmaker find the pattern for the quilting design on the quilt?

Original to maker

Contests entered:

Sears Quilt Contest, 1933 Chicago World's Fair

Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:

Merikay Waldvogel and Barbara Brackman. Patchwork Souvenirs of the 1933 World's Fair (Nashville, TN: Rutledge Hill Press, 1993)

Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:

Photograph (8 x 10 inches) of the quilt (labelled M446). Sears Archives.

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Who photographed this quilt?

Sears Archives

Access and copyright information:

Restricted