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A priceless treasure: The Tice Quilt
(by Kathryn A. Burger - January 02, 2008)
Among the thousands of items the Pascack Historical Society has preserved for future generations, one in particular has special significance. Known as, “The Tice Quilt,” it is made from circa 1740 fabric on which the design was applied using “double strike” copperplate printing, a process perfected by Joseph and Mary Ware of Crayford, Kent, England, circa 1770.
The fabric is one of only two known extant examples of this type of fabric printing; the other is a curtain fragment that was purchased in 1957 by a British collector.
The rarity of the fabric, however, is only one reason the quilt is prized. It has a rich local history. It was donated to the Pascack Historical Society by Harriet Van Riper Tice and was made from her great-great-grandmother’s wedding dress: Sarah Cadmus married Abraham Delamater on September 6, 1800. Marriage records indicate they were married in “Pascack,” which is now
Woodcliff
Lake .
This fall, the society undertook the task of cleaning the quilt, an important part of the ongoing conservation of this rare treasure. Bari Falese, a professional textile expert, was hired to coordinated the “wet cleaning” of the quilt.
The quilt measures 86 inches by 64 inches and the fabric pattern combines floral, fruit, vegetable and bird motifs. Society Trustee Barbara Burns said, “We spent dozens of hours in preparation for the wet cleaning.” A meticulous procedure, preparing the quilt for the cleaning involved testing for wash fastness as well as sewing support material and vacuuming. “The wet cleaning process required a shallow but large tank,” Burns said. She made the tank from wood planks. Then, it was lined with blankets for padding that was then covered by a piece of plastic. A large piece of bridal tulle was laid in the tank for support and finally, the quilt was carefully positioned.
Falese, who works with many museums and has done a great deal of work at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, set to work, with the help of society volunteers. Once the quilt was properly placed in the tank, about an inch of tap water was added. A sample of the water showed discoloration. The tank was emptied and a second water rinse was done. This time the water sample was clear. Burns said, “We changed the water again and mixed a cleaning solution imported from
Europe . Using sponges, we ‘foamed’ the quilt by squeezing the bubbles onto the quilt and gently pressing the foam onto the quilt.” After about 20 minutes, the final rinse, this time with filtered water, completed the wash.
Drying the quilt is another meticulous procedure. The quilt is blotted with clean towels and then taken inside where it is placed on plastic. A clean, dry sheet is gently pressed on it to “wick” any residual discoloration from the surface of the quilt as it dries. Burns said, “We had two fans gently blowing over it for two days.”
A special padding for the quilt was made and it is now displayed in a case in the society’s museum.
With item as rare and delicate as the Tice Quilt, the society needed a textile expert to ensure the proper handling of the quilt. Francesca Moskowitz, president of the society said, “ The fee for Bari Falese’s work was paid for by the society’s Joseph and Evelyn Teitelbaum Textile Fund.” The Teitelbaums lived in
Fort Lee and were Barbara Burns’ parents. “Mrs. Tietelbaum, who died last year, left $10,000 in her will for restoration and preservation of the textiles at the Pascack Historical Society. This project could never have been accomplished without the support we receive from this generous philanthropist,” Moskowitz said, adding, “Bari Falese’s love of textiles and their preservation prompted her to charge us only a fraction of her normal consulting fee. We indebted to her, and the Teitelbaum family.”
The next project, using the Teitelbaum fund, will be the restoration of two Civil War dresses.
The Pascack Historical Society is a not-for-profit all-volunteer organization. The museum, at 19 Ridge Ave., Park Ridge, is open on Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Admission is free. Group tours at other times can be arranged in advance. The museum is barrier free. For more information about the society, its collections, membership options and special exhibits, visit www.pascackhistoricalsociety.com.
Kathryn A. Burger's e-mail address is burger@northjersey.com
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