Queer Quilts and Peculiar Pillows.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 23, 9 June 1906, Page 60

Queer Quilts and Peculiar Pillows.

There sue fashions in bed-clothes no less than in other kinds of clothing, and sm autograph quilt is much sought after by housewives who love to be up-to-date.

Not long ago the Countess Brownlow was the recipient of such a novel present at the hands of the tenants and other inhabitants on the Ashbridge Estate of her husband, in Buckinghamshire. This notable autograph quilt bore no fewer than twelve hundred names, and it was presented to the Countess in recognition of THE KINDLY INTEREST shown and timely assistance rendered by her on occasions of distress and sickness in the little community. It will doubtless be cherished by- her family for maul years to come. Any lady who wished to become the purchaser of such a curious counterpane will be more likely to meet with one at a bazaar than anywhere else. A remarkable autograph quilt was on sale at such a function held at Buckingham some time ago. It had been made on the co-operative principle—as the genuine article natural ly must be. Some two hundred squares of material were sent out to as many statesmen, peers, member of Parliament, and Nonconformist ministers of light and leading. tin these the distinguished personages wrote their signatures in pencil, the letters being afterwards most beautifully embroidered by Mrs Gibbs and Mrs Hull, two prominent promoters of the bazaar. They afterwards had the squares made up into a lovely quilt, their artistic needlework being very much admired. Its worth and quality were testified by the fact that the counterpane sold for E 20. At a hospital bazaar at Darlington, opened by Princess Henry of Battenberg, a little while ago, a much more elaborate AUTOGRAPH BED QUILT was on sale. It was made of white linen worked with gold silk on a gold founda tion. The small squares were intersected by hand-made lace insertion, the whole being surrounded by’ panels of tulip design, t he central square had worked on it the autograph of Princess Henry of Battenberg, surmounted by a coronet. Each of the other squares contained the actual autographs of four celebrities, the signatures having been first written on the material by them and afterwards worked in in gold. The four cornerpieces were taken up with the Durham and Darlington arms, the date of the bazaar. and the monogram of the hospital for the benefit of which it was held.

Amongst the ninety or so autographs on the quilt were those of Mr Arthur Janies Balfour. Mr Joseph Chamberlain. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, and Winston Churchill (on one square), President Roosevelt, Lord Roberts. Edison, Marconi. Sir Robert Ball. Madame Patti, the Bishops of Durham and Wakefield.

Lady Warwick, Lord and laidy Zetland, Lord and Lady Barnard, Alfred Austin, Andrew Carnegie, Luke Fildes, R.A., Sir Henry Irving, Miss Ellen Terry, Miss Marie Hall, Sir Frederick Treves. Mrs Patrick Campbell, and the Hon. F. S. Jackson.

A novelty in counterpanes was some time ago on exhibition at a chureh bazaar in a northern town. It was formed of no fewer than three hundred and sixty* five pieces of patchwork—one for each day of the year. All colours were represented, though in perfect harmony, and, in addition to bearing date, each patch set forth the kind of weather that might be expected on the day indicated.

Thus “wind,” “rain,” “frost,” and so on, appeared over and over again, until the various phases of our resourceful British climate were completely exhausted. This curious quilt was the work of an invalid lady, who must have devoted her whole time to it for many months. It attracted every visitor’s attention. and proved the great drawing feature of the bazaar. In the possession of one of the old families of Europe there is a bed quilt bearing A MAGNIFICENT PICTURE of “Alexander in the tent of Darius.” It was the work of that famous painter, Paul Veronese. Like so many other artists, he was a man of eccentric moods and odd habits. On one occasion he accepted an invitation to spend a few days with a family at their beautiful country residence. While there he insisted on having absolute possession of his room, which he would not allow even a servant to enter. He actually made his own bed and deposited the sweepings of his room outside the door every morning for the maid to take away. When he left he slipped off without so much as bidding the family good-bye, and certain of the bed clothes were found to be missing. The eccentric painter was suspected of having stolen them, but, on a careful search being made, they were found rolled up in a corner of the room. On the quilt had been painted the superb picture already mentioned, this being the whimsical fashion in which the great artist had taken it into his head to repay his host for the generous hospitality that had been shown him. Peculiar pillows —portrait pillows is their correct designation—have been in great favour for some time now’. These are ADORNED WITH THE FACES of leading lights of literary, political and other circles, with perhaps quotations from their works or speeches. From some of these comforting headrests the face of Tennyson looks up. backed by a couple of appropriate lines from one or other of his poems, Burns, Kipling, Whittier, and others being similarly in evidence.