Cotton is a fluffy fiber that grows in a rounded seed capsule, called a boll. The cotton plant is a shrub, and is native to warm, tropical and subtropical regions including the southern United States. The botanical reason for cotton fiber is to help the plant disperse seeds. The fiber is spun into thread or yarn, and used in textile manufacturing.
The Volckening Collection - Cottons
Copyright © 2010 The Volckening Collection
According to Cotton Incorporated, cotton is “the first choice among consumers in apparel and home products.” That’s easy to understand. Cotton is soft, breathable, and absorbent. It truly is “the fabric of our lives.”
The Volckening Collection contains many fine examples of cotton quilts, from early-mid 1800’s to 2010. Highlights include a masterpiece Album quilt from West Virginia, two quilts from the Esprit Collection (Tumbling Blocks, 1930, pictured), and several early-to-mid 19th century quilts.
A large part of the collection is a group of quilts widely known by the name New York Beauty. The name came from the 1930 Stearns and Foster Mountain Mist pattern, and is generally accepted as the pattern name. However, in earlier days the pattern was most commonly known as Rocky Mountain Road or Crown of Thorns. Many of the oldest documented examples come from southern states, particularly Kentucky and Tennessee.
During the last decade, a surge in online trading and a string of incredible bargains gave the Volckening Collection a significant boost in quality and quantity. Many of the cotton quilts in the collection were purchased on eBay.
The spectacular Sunburst Diamonds quilt (pictured) is a shining example. It was made as early as the 1830’s, is in very good condition, and was purchased for $159.
To view a small selection of favorite cotton quilts, please check out the gallery and slideshow, below.