Floral Motifs on Early Chintz
Sparaxis tricolor - Sparaxis
Sparaxis tricolor (Sparaxis) growing in modern garden.
Sparaxis tricolor (Sparaxis) on the Victoria and Albert Museum, Furnishing Fabric T.11-1933, 1850.
Sparaxis tricolor (Sparaxis) (published as Ixia tricolor) from Curtis's Botanical Magazine, 1797, Vol. 11, plate 381.
Common Names: Wandflower, Harlequin Flower, Sparaxis 
 
Description: Sparaxis tricolor (Sparaxis) is a member of the Iris family (Iridaceae). The Hortus Kewensis, ed. 2, vol. 1 recorded that this native of Cape of Good Hope was introduced to Britain about 1786.

Quilts with this Sparaxis tricolor (Sparaxis) motif: 
 
  • None known at this time

Chintz with this Sparaxis tricolor (Sparaxis) motif: 

  • Victoria and Albert Museum, Furnishing Fabric T.11-1933, 1850 


                                         Additional Sparaxis tricolor (Sparaxis) Motif 
                                                      

























Quilts with this different Sparaxis tricolor (Sparaxis): 
  
  • The Edisto Island Museum, Edisto Album Chintz Applique Spread, "Lowcountry Chintz: The Townsend/Pope Quilt Legacy", Uncoverings 2013, dated 1863 
  • The Alphretta Album Spread in Fig. 12 of Sharon Fulton Pinka, "Lowcountry Chintz: The Townsend/Pope Quilt Legacy," Uncoverings 34 (2013): 85, started c. 1860 and completed 1935 
  • Shelburne Museum, Chintz Floral Quilt Attributed to a Member of the Ridgley Family, Museum Object Number 10-145 (1954-492), The Art of the Needle: 100 Masterpiece Quilts from the Shelburne Museum, p. 14, Early 19th Century 
  • Colonial Williamsburg, The James Betts quilt, Colonial Williamsburg Online Collections (http://emuseum.history.org) and search for James Betts quilt, c. 1840 
 
Chintz with this different Sparaxis tricolor (Sparaxis) motif: 
 
  • None known at this time






©  Updated 3/29/2019     Author: Terry Terrell
Sparaxis tricolor (Sparaxis) from the Edisto Island Museum, Edisto Album Chintz Applique Spread, dated 1863. Photo courtesy of Edisto Island Museum.