Bidspirit auction | American Civil War Era Irish

American Civil War Era Irish Chain Name Quilt - American Civil War era Irish chain name quilt. Comprised of white, red, and blue cloth. There is a handwritten list of Women's Relief Corps presidents specific to a particular chapter, possibly from Iowa. Lot Essay: Civil war era quilts are characterized by their scrap-material makeup and their purpose as means of physical and emotional comfort for civil war soldiers. Charitable organizations such as the Women's Relief Corps collected donations to produce and distribute quilts to Union soldiers in need. In other instances individual women would construct these quilts to be sent to sons, husbands, brothers and other relatives fighting in the civil war. Many of these quilts displayed the names of donors, quilters, and soldiers related to any of these contributors. Biblical verses or inspirational messages were also popular. These are known as ‘name quilts’ and are just one among many popular quilt types during the civil war era. Authentic civil war quilts are rarely found today, but their memory helps reveal important networks of support and communication. Quilts represented a memory of home for soldiers, advocated abolitionist perspectives, were used to raise many for a variety of causes, kept track of familial records and more generally, acted as a creative outlet for women of the time. This particular quilt is a name quilt with an Irish chain pattern and a red, white, and blue color scheme. Various names are inscribed onto the plain blocks of the quilt. In the centermost block there is a list of Women's Relief Corps presidents specific to a particular chapter. Directly below this block as well as to the lower-left and upper-right are presumably the names of soldiers affiliated with the creators and/or donors of the quilt. The block in the lower-right section of the quilt displays a list of women's names. These women were likely the aforementioned creators and donors. The block to the lower-left of the centermost square lists the names of two women identified as the daughters of an unidentified veteran. The quilt is intact and in good condition considering its age. There are some stains as to be expected. There is no official stamp of date or organization. Length: 83 in x width: 70 in. Condition: Please contact us for a detailed condition report. Please note that the lack of a condition statement does not imply perfect condition. Email condition@revereauctions.com with any condition questions.