Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Story Time Stitches: Mary and Wallace Stover

Thanks for all the well wishes!  I'm doing okay today but still resting.  Fortunately I already had a couple of articles prepared.  The vertigo appears to be brought on by inner ear problems and I'm being treated for an ear infection as well (no, I didn't have any symptoms).  It was a severe enough case that I was sent to the ER after my husband took me to the outpatient clinic in our area.  Again, thanks for the sweet well wishes!

Here is a kit quilt designed by Mary ( 1903-1985) and Wallace Stover (1903-1983).  I found a vintage kit somewhere along the way:


The packaging is better:


Mary and Wallace Stover illustrated a variety of books.  Wallace also did illustrations for magazines and sold some art as well (here).  It doesn't appear that Mary did any illustration on her own but maybe I just haven't found any yet.

The couple were known for illustration of affordable children's books and coloring books.  Titles range included Raggedy Ann, Uncle Wiggly and even Winnie the Pooh.  But they were best known for their "Famous" books.

The "Famous" books are what are featured on the quilt.  Famous Kitten Stories, Famous Bible Stories, Famous Mouse Stories etc.  What I like about this piece is that the illustrators are given credit right on the piece; it's rare that the illustrators are notated:
As far as I know, this was the only quilt they designed and it dates from 1944.  The kits occasionally come up for sale on Etsy or Ebay if you like it.

The Stovers would eventually start their own ad agency which they closed when they retired in 1971.  There isn't much information about them but I've shared what I know.  

Have a good safe and happy day!














4 comments:

  1. Glad you are recovering. I had a bout of vertigo a few years back and ended up spending 3 hours in the ER. NO fun at all.

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  2. Glad to hear you are feeling a bit better and that you are resting! Why do we never want to rest when we should? I love these wonderful illustrations. I know I have a few of the books. Might have to unearth them now. Thanks for the post.

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  3. Oh, vertigo can be so scary! Glad you're doing better. Those "famous" books look familiar....they'd have been published before I was born but used copies may have been among the books when I was very little.

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  4. What a precious quilt! So happy for you that you found it, and will be creating one of your own.

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