The University of Rhode Island’s Historic Textile and Costume Collection contains one of the earliest known examples of quilting, a recently donated collection of disarticulated English quilt blocks dated from 1697.  The blocks were originally part of a larger quilt that was made, moved through space, possessed by various actors, and ultimately disassembled over the course of its life, with pieces now residing in various museums around the US. 

By examining the role of dealers and donors in the process of the object’s disarticulation and dispersion, “The 1697 Quilt Blocks: An Object’s Life and History” will show how an individual’s interaction with an object can influence our understanding of history.  

The new methodology for the examination of disarticulated objects and digital reconstruction of the quilt top will allow for a complete examination of the original work, including overall designs and patterns, and provide a basis for comparison to other extant examples, furthering knowledge of early quilting.