Another Vintage Quilt

I have a few Date inscribed quilts in my Vintage collection,  this is one of the best!  It's a signature quilt from 186_ (last digit is unclear).    

It contains a wonderful array of 1800's fabrics that are generally in really good condition.

Every square has two fabrics;  no repeats.  And every square (except one or two blank) has a different name inscribed in it.   I'm no Hand Writing expert but the signatures seemed to be different enough, one from the other,  that I think they were all written by separate individuals .

This is A.D. Blodgett

Nellie Moulton

Some also have locations written with their names like this one!  There are 5 signatures from Randolph, VT.

Mrs. L. F. Walbridge,   Randolph, VT.

This is H. Tarbell.  

There are 4 signatures contributed by the "Tarbell" family that are printed in the same way.  That's probably because they each had their own "name" stamp.  These would have been personal, custom made metal stamps that could be inked and then pressed into cloth or paper.  They could be used as a substitute for a signature for use on personal items, like letters, hankies, clothes, etc.

There are 5 Blogetts signatures.

Carrie L. Blodgett

J.R. Tarbell

Ellen A. Blodgett, Rochester, VT.

Eltie M. Smith,  Concord, Mass.

The only block which is not a name which is located in the lower left corner  of the quilt is this one.  Perhaps Grandmother was signing in this way as the maker of the quilt?  You can also see the quilting in this picture quite well.  It's not super fancy but it is well quilted.

This is the dated Block.  Sadly it is very faded.  No doubt it has had more handling than the other blocks and thus the poor condition!?

But I think if you tilt the picture this way and that you can make out the year 186_ in the lower right corner.

I've always thought this would make an excellent research quilt for an AQSG's project.

But I've never gotten it together.  I guess I'm just not Scholar material, I'd rather be sewing than researching!

cheers, CW