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Online since 2002. Patricia and James Cummings, Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, NH.

"Gossips": A Very Old Design

by Patricia L. Cummings
photography by James Cummings

A Research File in Progress

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"Gossips," is a timeless design that has been copied by a few people over the last (almost) two hundred years. My column "Pieces of the Past" in The Quilter (2002) enumerated just where and when known duplications occurred.

18 1/2" x 24 1/4"

"Gossips" quilt by Patricia Cummings inspired by a commercial pattern by Jan Kornfeind. Both of us have made changes from the original appliqué silk piece made by Eunice Cook of Vermont, in 1830. That piece is now among the missing, but last seen in Coral Gables, Florida.

Note: A  cropped color image of Eunice Cook's original work, as painted by artist Carmel Wilson in 1938, is available online: The Gossips. To view a full-page, uncropped version of the same work, see The Quilter magazine, March 2002: "The Gossips," an article by Patricia L. Cummings.

The humorous theme of the Gossips, an early nineteenth century appliquéd block, is absolutely timeless. This little piece is perhaps the only one of its kind, made, during the nineteenth century. The original design was worked entirely in silks and measured only 10 3/4" x 11 7/8".

When I first saw the small image in Woman's Day Book of American Needlework by Rose Wilder Lane (Simon and Schuster: 1963), on page 102,
I assumed that it was a photo of the stitched piece. She refers to it as "a humorous piece, 11" x 12", appliquéd in silk about 1830 by Eunice W.* Cook." The photo credits were given to the Index of American Design, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.  The original piece was never owned by the National Gallery of Art.

Art Rendering: A True Copy of the Original

The Index of American Design (New York: The MacMillan Company in conjunction with the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1959), introduction page xiii, states that some of the artists employed by the W.P.A. project were quite disappointed because they were not allowed to change any features of the folk art works they were representing. Therefore, there was no original input, on their part.

They could not express themselves through the free use of form and color and so felt cheated of the creative assignments they had expected from the Federal Art Project. But they discovered that documentary art may become a free creative activity even within severe discipline and limitations.

Carmel Wilson Hired to Paint "The Gossips"

The photo image seen in the first link of this article, as presented on the University of Virginia site, actually represents a 14 1/16" x 16 3/16" watercolor and graphite work, rendered in watercolor and graphite on paper by an American artist, Carmel Wilson, in 1938. He, as well as other out-of-work artists were commissioned by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), during the Great Depression, to document American folk art treasures by painting them.

A genealogical search through the many people named Carmel Wilson turns up no one whose occupation is listed as "artist" at the time. The closest candidate was an African-American who lived in Florida (where the item was last seen in a private collection). So much of piecing the past together is based on hunches, and speculation, until enough data is collected to present a convincing argument, or a bullet-proof statement.

Painted Piecework

Wilson's version is currently the only known available image of the original Gossips. As such, it is difficult to ascertain whether or not the block was intended to be part of a larger quilt or to stand alone. According to the book Artists in Aprons: Folk Art by American Women by C. Kurt Dewhurst, Betty MacDowell and Marsha MacDowell, the original creation has been "lost." The quilt maker's name is listed in that book as "Eunice M. Cook.of Vermont."

Why Painted and Not Photographed?

The question lingers: why wasn't the quilt block photographed, rather than painted? In fact, there were three main reasons. First, in the 1930s, photography was technically very difficult and it was believed that a better quality image, with less distortion by shadows, could be achieved through painting. Second, the project was an attempt to employ artists so that they would not lose their abilities. Third, a painting that utilized watercolors would have more durability, over time, and would be less prone to light damage than a photograph, therefore requiring less care. After all, the goal was to create a lasting remembrance. We can only speculate if and where the original work still exists.

This image appears here, courtesy of quilt designer Jan Kornfeind. This photo was one of two of Jan's pieces that were featured in my article in The Quilter in 2002.

An Antique Re-creation

When looking at the Gossips, we wonder what topics the two women are discussing. The Dewhurst book speculates that they may have been discussing social issues of the day, one of those being the controversial struggle for women's suffrage (the fight to vote). This kind of topic was often discussed at quilting bees. The cozy image of two women chatting together, one of them (younger and seemingly impressionable) leaning toward the older woman, could lead to all sorts of  speculation as to the nature of their talk. This would be a good essay assignment for any English teacher!

Eva Marie Niles Book

Artists who work in other mediums have wanted to re-create this amusing little piece and have done so in a variety of ways since the nineteenth century. Eva Marie Niles, in her book, Fancy Work Recreations: A Complete Guide (1884), suggests working the design in a manner similar to English paper piecing using all silk fabrics.

Eva Niles suggests that the 1884 design, above, be worked in silks. The red line is one that I added. This image is from her book.

Caricatures

Her diagram, under the heading of "Comic Patchwork," gives no attribution to the original creator of the design, at a time when copyright regulations often were not litigated. Niles defines "Comic Patchwork" as a "series of irregular geometrical figures, so combined as to form a representation of the human figure in various attitudes. From the necessity of using angles, more or less acute, in this kind of work, the figures always have a grotesque appearance." Today, of course, they would be referred to as "caricatures."

Niles suggest using silks in fourteen different colors to make a 4 1/4" square patch, to frame or to use an appliqué motif  for a carriage bag. The acquisition of silk would not have been a problem during a time when it was readily available by mail order as a result of the crazy quilt fad. Finding a variety of colors of silk at an affordable price did not become an issue until the civil war in China in 1912, when export supplies from that country were interrupted. Today, unless one is a dressmaker and has access to fancy scraps, it would be more difficult and costly to find and purchase these same fabrics.

In the Niles book, the Gossips pattern was modified to consist of sharply-angled patches, much like the crazy patchwork of the day. She instructs the reader to trace the design onto paper and then cut out the various pieces, one at a time, overlapping silk on paper before finally sewing the patches together. She does not give detailed instructions as to how to accomplish this feat, perhaps because similar piecing (such as that of hexagonal mosaic patchwork) was fairly common in the late nineteenth century. Individual pieces were most likely placed with right sides together and then whipstitched together.

Niles Missed Drawing a Needed Line

It seems that Niles did not attempt to make the pattern she presented. The diagram provided in her book and the structure of the delineation make the line drawing next to impossible to construct in the manner described. She advises that "an experienced needlewoman will find no difficulty in executing this pattern, but those who attempt silk patchwork for the first time must be careful, when covering the pieces, to fold the silk exactly over the edge, neither leaving any extra space, or turning down any portion of the paper."

Niles does not mention Eunice Cook's piece of 54 years before as the original source of the design. Perhaps she was unaware of the need to assign an origin, or perhaps she felt that the original was so well-known that it didn't need further documentation.

This line drawing for embroidery appeared in the J.F. Ingalls catalogue. He seems to favor more rounded ladies.

Beautiful framed version of "The Gossips," made by Jan Kornfeind, a prolific designer. http://www.countryappliques.com/

Jan Kornfeind Publishes "Gossips" Pattern

In 1984, one hundred years after the Niles book reference, Jan and Emil Kornfeind of Country Appliqués in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, published a pattern of the same design, done in country cotton. The pattern included a silk-screened muslin face, ready to be appliquéd. As of 5/07/09, Jan has a few copies of this pattern. She will accept phone orders at 913-484-4090.

In the original quilt block and in the Niles line drawing, the young lady sitting on the left is holding a handkerchief or bonnet. In the Kornfeind version, she is holding a cup of tea. I liked the teacup idea and I did the same in my appliquéd quilt. The embellishments I added include a simulated rug (using buttonhole stitch and embroidery floss for the fringe), a cat (a Wrights iron-on appliqué) to represent "cattiness," and a tea-dyed handkerchief at the top which states,"'The Gossips,' Eunice Cook, 1830."

The use of yellow-green and other period colors, adds an old-time look to my quilt, which measures 18 1/2" x 24 1/4". I used both the fusing and needleturn methods of appliqué, and where I did fuse, I added embroidery to protect the edges. I suffered from temporary confusion when trying to add the feet and kept making them go the wrong way! What a hoot! For me, that was the most comical part of the construction process.

Timeless Treasure

In summary, a pattern first conceived and executed so long ago, was immortalized in watercolor and is now a permanent benchmark in the history of American design. While it would be wonderful to know much more about Eunice Cook and her life, as with many other nineteenth century women trying to find additional information is like hunting for a needle in a haystack.

Complete records simply were not kept, and real property (including quilts) were inventoried in the name of the head of the household, that usually being a male. Revisiting old designs that have become an integral part of our American folk art heritage makes history come alive. How this folk art treasure found its way to Florida, where it was last seen, remains a mystery.

Flowering Quince bush in our New Hampshire yard. photo 2009, just to add a little gaiety to this long research file!

Update - May 7, 2009 - Additional Research

I first wrote about Eunice Cook before online genealogical bases were available online. In this age of technology, we have more and more information right at our fingertips. Last night, I did a search for "Eunice Cook" of Vermont, and found the most likely candidate for the creator of "The Gossips." She appears to have been born in 1782 in Massachusetts.

As a wild guess, I think that Eunice Cook must have been a seamstress who had small scraps of silk available. Her workmanship is superb, and her art skills advanced, looking at the proportions of her caricature type work. If this is the right person, then Eunice was 48 years old when she created "Gossips" in 1830.

Eunice married Nathaniel Cook who was born on April 19, 1782 in Swanzey, New Hampshire, according to the NH Bureau of Vital Records. The handwritten record that I viewed said that he was "White," and the child of Zuriel and Hannah (her maiden name not stated; and their occupations were not listed).

No Marriage Record Found

There is no record of the marriage of Eunice and Nathaniel Cook in Vermont's vital statistics, as viewed on microfiche. Robert M. Murphy, a library assistant at the Vermont Historical Society, stated that marriages were not always recorded, at that time.

Perhaps, Eunice was not his first wife. Many women died in childbirth and epidemics were rampant. Some of the children in the household could have been the product of previous marriages. No names are listed in the census. We could speculate forever, but instead, we will try to stick with known facts.

We can conjure up all kinds of case scenarios, ranging from theirs having been a common law arrangement, thus causing tongues to wag, (and the absence of a formal marriage record). Stranger things have happened. Yet, with a tombstone inscription we found in 2009, it appears that at least Eunice, if not Nathaniel, too, were both Christians.

Nathaniel was a shoemaker. If we have found the right "party," then during the year of 1830, when Eunice created "The Gossips," her household consisted of  two boys (under the age of 10); and four "females" - one (five and under); two (fifteen and under twenty), and 1 (20 and under thirty), plus Eunice and her husband who were both (of forty and under 50), for a total of eight household members. The relationship between all eight is left to our imagination. We wonder why only one son is buried next to the couple.

Research Trip to Vermont - May 12, 2009

We made a trip to Barre, Vermont today, heading first to a cemetery that seemed to be one of the oldest in the city. After spending several hours walking around, with the help of a groundskeeper, we found some "Cooks," but not the ones we were seeking. After a visit to the Vermont Historical Society where an hour and a half was spent looking at various records, we visited another cemetery where we found the gravestones.

"Eunice - wife of Nath'l Cook, died, June 10, 1866, age 84 years, 'Asleep in Jesus'."

Nath'l Cook, Died, Aug. 6, 1867, Age 85 Yrs., 'There is rest in heaven'."

Next to these two stones is one stone for "John W., son of Nathaniel and Eunice Cook. Marble is more fragile than other stones. This one may have been taller, but could have broken off. Sometimes, when that happened, the "good part" was just reinserted into the ground. Notice that there are no dates on this stone. Does his middle initial "W" have any connection to how Eunice Cook's name has been previously listed in some resources?

The view from the hilltop cemetery in Barre, VT

Additional Information

There is a mention of real estate valued at $500., owned in Barre, Vermont, by Nathaniel Cook, (married to Eunice Cook), according to the 1850 U.S. Federal Census report. Eunice's birthplace is listed as MA. Although the couple was about about the same age, this particular census lists Nathaniel as 60 years old, and Eunice as 68. We believe this to be incorrect, as this information does not coincide with the inscriptions on the graves we found.

The name:  Eunice W. Cook

We have found conflicting information in written resources (books) and other accounts, particularly regarding Eunice Cook's middle initial.

The middle initial "W." remains unsubstantiated by any factual data. I am trying to track down the origin and meaning of the initial.

Meanwhile, the W. initial has been repeated in just about every book I have found with any reference to Eunice, at all. Unwittingly, thinking the initial to be true, due to its many repeats, you find references to Eunice W. Cook in my previously published article in The Quilter magazine.

I found one reference to Eunice W. Cook in the 1860 census. She was 50 years old at the time, and her home was S. Danvers, MA in Essex County. She had been born in 1810 in MA. This reference seems to be non-congruent with other known information.

The name:  Eunice M. Cook

The middle initial "M." remains unsubstantiated by any found data. I have found other Eunice M. Cook names in genealogical research, but none of them seem to match other existing data. Marsha MacDowell at Michigan State University, one of the authors of Artists in Aprons: Folk Art by American Women, has promised to look into her research notes from thirty years ago, to shed some light on how the initial, "M" happened to have been listed in that book.

Update: No further information found by Marsha MacDowell.

Other People Named Eunice M. Cook

In looking through the U.S. and International Marriage Records - 1560-1900, one Eunice M. Cook who shows up is a woman who was born in 1838, and was married to Richard W. Lewis in 1858. If she was born in 1838, she could not have made "The Gossips" in 1830. One would assume that the name "Cook" is Eunice's married name. Her maiden name has not yet been discovered.

Two individuals named Eunice M. Cook are listed in the 1850 Federal Census, and they lived in New Jersery and Newport Lake, IL, respectively.

In the 1860 Federal Census, two Eunice M. Cook names are listed, both from Massachusetts. One is from Lynn (age 50, born abt. 1809/1810 in MA); the other is from Newburyport, Ward 1 ( and is age 36, born abt. 1824). Both resided in Essex County. None of the found information seems to coincide with our Eunice Cook in Vermont.

"Warned Out" of Reading, Vermont

Another wayward tidbit of information was uncovered in the search yesterday. In an issue of a newsletter, "Branches and Twigs," the statement is made that (a) Eunice Cook was "warned out" of Reading, Vermont on 21 Sept 1817. People were "warned out" of towns for vagrancy, or because they might become a liability to the town financially, and "other reasons."

A check with the secretary of the Reading Historical Society revealed no other information, to date. The History of Reading, VT book (available online) lists the three Selectmen in 1817 as Sewall Fullam, Trumbull Ackley, and Simeon Buck. No doubt they would have been the ones to issue the eviction notice.

However, is this Eunice Cook the same person? Where is her husband? What did she do? Why was she there alone, if that is the case? Was she impoverished? The short notation in the newsletter yields no answers. At the time, "our" Eunice would have been 35 years old. We have many more questions and will continue seeking answers.

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 A 22" x 30" collage inspired by "The Gossips." photo courtesy of Barbara Olsen

Artist Re-creates Eunice Cook's Idea

"The Gossips" is a mixed media collage created by contemporary artist, Barbara Olsen, who was inspired by the book, Artists in Aprons. Alternatively, she calls the piece, "Old Friends." The piece is matted and framed in an archival manner, and has plexiglas on the front.

Barbara says that she liked the angular shapes in Eunice Cook's appliquéd original. She decided to see how it would look as a mixed media piece with acrylic and papers, all done on Arches 300 pound paper.

This work is for sale for $2400. To purchase, please contact Barbara at (770) 479-7368, or write to her at: skgolsen@mindspring.com.

A Contemporary Approach:  A Canvas Piece (Needlepoint)

More recently, Joyce Strand of Glenmont, New York, decided to recreate the Gossips in another medium, that of canvaswork. After seeing the image in American Heritage magazine, she asked her father, a retired engineer, to chart the pattern onto canvas. Joyce successfully finished the piece and exhibited it at the 2001 Greater Albany Embroiderers' Guild of America show in Loudonville, New York. While she did not adhere strictly to the (original ) color palette, she "tried to be faithful in concept." Joyce said that she wanted to stitch the piece because it makes her smile. Sadly, I just learned that Joyce is no longer with us.

Letter from Audrey Waite

Editor's Note: We saw this as a finished piece at a Shelburne Farms, Vermont quilt show, a few years ago. Betty's pattern finishes to 22 1/2" square. Thanks for the note, Audrey.

REQUEST

If anyone happens to come across any additional pictorial re-creations of "The Gossips," please feel free to send information, or a photo. I know of one other twentieth century antique, made in Pennsylvania colors, in cotton, but she ain't sharin'! That piece is one part of a four block quilt, a type of quilt more popular in the nineteenth century. Keep in mind that the quilt block was probably made after the 1938 commissioned rendition of "The Gossips," by Carmel Wilson, although without more information, that is difficult to determine.

Any other family genealogy would be appreciated. We would treasure your input in creating a greater body of knowledge about when and where this design has been re-created, and about the life of Eunice Cook, to paint history with a broader stroke. Thanks in advance.

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Currently, we have two wonderful e-books for sale, on CD. Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster (1867-1950): Her Quilt "Charts," Her Writings, and Her Life; and Redwork Renaissance Revisited. Please see our "Products Available Page."

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Copyright 2009. Patricia Cummings, Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, NH. All rights reserved.

 

 

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