Seeing BLUE - Amish PLAIN QUILT with Two Inner Borders. From Ohio/W. PA, c. 1930. All Cottons; Size: 65" x 76". Start Price USD 975.00 Current Price USD 975.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Friday, August 22, 2008 End Time Monday, September 01, 2008 Location Woodside, New York See more about 'Seeing BLUE - Amish PLAIN QUILT with Two Inner Borders.' Description Seeing BLUE, in the Fall of 2004 the Museum of American Folk Art in New York City presented the Show entitled: "BLUE".... Now, on offer from Steve Kane Quilts and Folk Art... Ultramarine BLUE & Wine BURGUNDY AMISH "PLAIN QUILT with Two Inner Borders" All Cottons. Double SIZE: approx. 65 inches by 76 inches. Made about 1930. Found in Western Pennsylvania, but probably made in OHIO.  "Clamshell," "Cable" (down the center of the quilt) and "Checkerboard" Quilting. The BACKING is Dark Green. The Initials "L D H" are stitched on the Back Corner. The BINDING is Blue.  The Condition is Excellent.  The "nape" of the Wine Burgundy background fabric allows for a certain amount of changing interplay with the light, while the Two Inner Borders of Ultramarine Blue glow through a void of space that reaches into the infinite.  The juxtaposition of two bold solid colors produces what I call "AMISH FIRE" - that flash in the viewer's mind when the eyes are allowed to take in the richness of the chromatic presentation of pure and simple design. The "PLAIN QUILT" pattern is thought to be unique to the Midwestern Amish and is considered their premier quilt design. (SEE, Pellman, "The World of Amish Quilts," 1984, Good Books, Pages 58-61.)  The Old Order Amish / Mennonite bishops of Holmes County, Ohio forbade the making of 'pieced' pattern quilts in their community, considering them too worldly.  (SEE, Bishop and Safanda, "A Gallery of Amish Quilts," 1976, E.P. Dutton, Page 70, Plate 106.)  This edict of the "Ordnung" was also followed in other Midwestern Amish communities such as in Arthur, Illinois. (SEE, Granick, "The Amish Quilt," 1989, Good Books, Page 140.)  The large areas of uncut cloth appealed to the draftsmanship of the Amish Quiltmaker whose expert stitchery covered the sparely colored design. (SEE, Pellman, "A Treasury of Amish Quilts," 1990, Good Books, Pages 84-85 for more examples of the "PLAIN QUILT.") The Museum of American Folk Art's "BLUE" Show featured a "Double Inside Border Quilt"  (SEE, The Museum MAGAZINE, Fall 2004, Page 44) whose yin / yang juxtaposition of Red and Blue is the doppledanger of MY Ultramarine Blue and Wine Burgundy "Double Inside Border Quilt."  (SEE ALSO, Pottinger, "Quilts from the Indiana Amish," 1983, e.p. Dutton, Page 65, Plate 89 for this same quilt.)  The extended lines of the outer border of the Museum's quilt is another version of the "Plain Quilt" genre which dissipates the central focus to the corners. I prefer the magestic frames of MY "Plain Quilt's" inner sanctums. This exceptional Blue and Burgundy Quilt is worthy of a Museum.  The use of the penetrating Ultramarine Blue follows what Curator Stacy Hollander (Museum Magazine, Fall 2004, Pages 38-47) calls "the profundity of faith, life, grief and joy" of the color Blue.  She writes further of "Blue as light without substance" producing "awe."  The celebration of Blue as a "first tier color" follows its associations with the moon, music, art and the best of kind status, as in blue blood or blue book.  Picasso's Blue Period paintings are among the highest priced of his work. The infinite, dimensionless space of the Wine Burgundy background is further enhanced by the remarkable quality of the "Nape" (the uncut ends of component threads) to catch the light at different angles.  This is not like velvet which will show the track of the touch of a hand, but an uncommon fabric which has been put to stunning use in this absolutely fabulous visual effect. VISIT MY eBAY STORE TO VIEW MORE ANTIQUE AMERICAN QUILTS AND OTHER FOLK ART ITEMS. Code AM15.    Place a Bid!