Regina Jobes, New York sampler applique dated 1849
Mary Proud
There is some symbolism going on here I am guessing.
I may be wrong but something is going on.
The cat, the lily or tulip?
Both a good sign the quilt was made in New York.
This has to go beyond cats are cute, as some people believe.
The cats seem to identify some New Yorkers as....
????
1867 Susan Rogers, Brooklyn
Smithsonian
Sampler dated 1881
Brooklyn Museum Collection
1867 Lucinda Honstain, International Quilt Museum
Crib quilt with cats and roosters. Roosters could just be a barnyard
image, familiar to every woman who raised chickens
but it could also be a Democrat party symbol.
Many of these New York quilts date from about 1840 to 1870, the glory days of the applique sampler. During those years two New Yorkers served as president. Martin Van Buren was elected in 1838; Millard Fillmore replaced Zachary Taylor after he died in 1850. These politicians do not inspire vivid memories nor did their politics have much in common. Van Buren was a Democrat and Fillmore a Whig. But New Yorkers must have been proud of their favorite sons. Could the cats have anything to do with New York politics?
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Here's a glimmer of a clue. Andrew Jackson, Democratic populist, had the brilliant idea to eliminate any central bank --- too much government. As one might imagine unregulated banking could lead to disaster---and the Panic of 1837, which began as he left office and left Van Buren to deal with it.
A New York bank note. Like crypto currency you had to have faith.
During the Jackson term states instituted their own banking laws with New York and Michigan in the forefront to permit what were called Wildcat banks, private banks free of any federal regulation. Anyone could start a bank, take your money and fail. New York was considered the hot spot of Wildcat banks. It was a populist idea. No central government.
Criticism of the "Albany Regency," in New York---Van Buren's political cronies.
Were all those cats (who don't look the least bit wild) political symbols of a specific kind of New York politics or identity?
A wildcat besting G.C. in 1892
When New Yorker Grover Cleveland ran for President at the end of the century he was associated with "Wild Cat Currency" again. A New York signature?
Anti-Cleveland campaign memorabilia
My analysis has many flaws, chief being that the cat on the quilts is NOT a wildcat.
But it certainly is persistent.
Sampler from Shelly Zegart Quilts
See a post on other thoughts of cat symbolism
