Amish quilts collection



						In Search of Beauty
						This collection of heirloom American quilts is small, but outstanding! The primary focus is on traditional Amish quilts from Pennsylvania and Ohio (1870-1920).

Quiltgallery						The private collection of Monika Willi – one of the oldest collections of Amish quilts in Europe – has been built up since 1973. The quality selection impresses with formal rigor, unusual and quite harmonious colors, and extraordinary needlework in fine woolen fabrics. The quilts enjoyed a great echo in Europe in the 70s. Exhibitions of these works were staged over a long period of time in important museums in Switzerland, France and Germany.
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						The Willi collection features both traditional patterns and rare creations. It shows a preference for geometric compositions, bold color schemes, and fine quilting stitches. In an interview with Dr. Brigitte Tietzel, Director of the German Textile Museum Krefeld, the collector explains the context in which these pieces were created. Link to the interview


						Textile masterpieces by the Amish from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: simple patterns, harmonious color choices, and perfect quilting craftmanship. These three works form an ensemble. They are among the quilts for sale; price on request.

						DIAMOND IN A SQUARE Lancaster County, Pennsylvania circa 1900 wool 79 x 78 inches Collection Monika Willi Detail

						BARS Lancaster County, Pennsylvania circa 1900 cotton, wool 79 x 69 inches Collection Monika Willi Detail 1 - Detail 2

						NINE PATCH VARIATION Lancaster County, Pennsylvania circa 1880 wool, cotton 76 x 73 inches Collection Monika Willi Detail


						Tradition and Innovation. These five important quilts were acquired by the Swiss National Museum in 2021. https://sammlung.nationalmuseum.ch/de/list?sID=66&detailID=100324368
						Images are protected by copyright, the Swiss National Museum
						DIAMOND IN A SQUARE Lancaster County, Pennsylvania circa 1890 wool 76 x 76 inches

						BARS Lancaster County, Pennsylvania circa 1880 wool 88 x 80 inches

						NINE PATCH, Crib Quilt Lancaster County, Pennsylvania circa 1890 wool 49 x 42 inches

						LONE STAR Ohio circa 1900 cotton 79 x 79 inches

						BABYBLOCKS Lancaster County, Pennsylvania circa 1880 wool 84 x 73 inches

						Amish quilts were little known outside the Amish community prior to the late 1960’s.

						Poster 1975. First exhibition and first catalog of Monika Willi’s collection.

						Museum exhibitions
						Amish Quilts, Musée d’art et d’histoire de Genève (MAH), Musée d’Impression sur Etoffes, Mulhouse 1975 Quilts des Amish 1870-1930, Musée des arts décoratifs de Lausanne 1988 Going West, Swiss Folk Art in America: Special Exhibition of the Swiss National Museum, Zurich, 1994 L’étoffe du relief –Quilts, boutis et autres textiles matelassés, Musée d’art et d’histoire de Genève (MAH) 2006, Musée de l’Impression sur Etoffes, Mulhouse 2007 Of Diamonds and Rag Dolls – Quilts and Dresses of the Amish, Deutsches Textilmuseum Krefeld, 2008
						Exhibition catalogs
						Amish Quilts, 1870-1920, Collection Monika Müller Zurich. Musée d’art et d’histoire de Genève (MAH), Musée d’Impression sur Etoffes, Mulhouse 1975. Rédaction Fabienne Xavière Sturm, Musée d'art et d'histoire, Genève. Quilts des Amish 1870-1930, Musée des arts décoratifs de Lausanne 1988. Sous la direction de Rosmarie Lippuner, textes de Jonathan Holstein, David Luthy, Eve Granick. Going West – Swiss Folk Art in America, Zurich 1994. By Bernard Schüle and Hans Peter Treichler, including the contribution, „Amish Quilts, Perfection and Simplicity“ by Monika Willi. L’étoffe du relief. Quilts, boutis et autres textiles matelassés, catalogue de l'exposition au Musée d’art et d’histoire de Genève (MAH) 2006. Sous la direction d'Alexandre Fiette, a.o. contributions "Quilts du Nouveau Monde“ and "Les quilts amish, des courtepointes pleines de magie et d’audace“ by Monika Willi. .Quilts of the Amish from private collections. An exhibition at the German Textile Museum Krefeld, 2008. Edited by Isa Fleischmann-Heck, Brigitte Tietzel, et al. Interview of the director with the collector, Monika Willi, Zurich. Link to the interview
						Special exhibitions in Japan
						.The Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival. A Festival of Fabric, Needle and Thread 2009 and 2011 at Tokyo Dome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo JAPAN

						https://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/e/quilt/

Kontakt: Monika Willi Hottingerstrasse 14a CH-8032 Zurich Tel. +41(0) 44 251 23 52 Prices on request Email: amish(a)quiltgallery(.)ch