Introduction to the Pilgrim/Roy Collection

The collection began with our fascination of antique quilts as unique examples of personal artistic expression, at a time in our country's history, when this luxury was afforded only to a privileged few. Quiltmaking, because it provided necessary and practical household goods, was seen as a necessary and important task. Needle, thimble, thread, and fabric, familiar materials and common and comfortable tools-- in creative hands-- produced the objects of our fascination.

The Pilgrim/Roy collection began with no particular objective or direction, just quilts we liked. Gradually as we began to accumulate we became curious. Who, When, Where, Why, How: the start of a lifetime of asking questions and hopefully getting answers, that which makes "A Collection" different than an accumulation of stuff. There is a point when a collection takes on a life of its own and you feel you are merely there as a guide.

It did not take long to realize that if we were going to pursue this on a serious level we had to have a plan. As we learned we expanded the collection. As we discovered certain areas of interest, we would delve more intensely into those areas. For instance, when we found a pattern that was of particular interest we would search for more than one example. Particular color combinations coming from a specific geographic location was of interest. Quilts exhibiting different characteristics because of religious or ethnic differences, examples of different techniques, different materials, or combinations of techniques-- all these factors became important. We discovered quilt tops (the top completed but not quilted), the blocks not having been set into a top and fabrics, antique fabric of the types found in quilts, and antique sewing tools from the same periods as the quilts.

We had never been concerned that the quilts represent or trace the history of quiltmaking, or that the collection included every type and style. In a final assessment of the collection, with regards to it being complete in every aspect, we began to pay attention to its weaknesses and decided to fill in the gaps. Now the collection is complete in every aspect with many strengths above what we had originally intended. It traces the development of the craft but our development as well. As we learned and grew, so did the collection in order to reflect that growth. It went way beyond our original intent and took us way beyond what we could have ever imagined.

The selection of quilts and comforts in this exhibit demonstrate the diversity within the collection. Many exhibits have been mounted from the variety of quilts that exists within the collection.

Just to mention a few:

The Log Cabin Returns to Kentucky

The Color Orange

Beauties From Hard Times : Depression Era Quilts

Victorian Quilts 1875 to 1900; They Aren't All Crazy

Classics From The Pilgrim/Roy Collection

Quilts From The Plain People

Romance of The Rings

There have been two major exhibitions, organized from the collection, that have traveled to Japan.

The collection is an ongoing project. We were lucky to have started when we did because there was so much available. There is very little chance of adding to the collection at this time. The only reason would be to upgrade and that does not happen very often.

Collecting is a state of mind that many others have a hard time understanding. It is all-consuming, very impractical, and --at times-- very precarious when attempting to acquire something way beyond your reach financially and proceeding anyway. The responsibilities of preserving and conserving are great, but the rewards are so gratifying.

For those of us who collect, there is nothing more exhilarating than discovering the next object that piques our interest and imagination and makes us realize there is more to be learned. It keeps us humble.

--Gerald E. Roy