"A National Treasure": One-of-a-kind 17th Century American Artifact Surfaces for The First Time in 350 Years... and it's For Sale!

Yale University

An extraordinary piece of early American history preserved and quietly passed down through nine generations has surfaced for the first time. Recognized by experts as a unique historical artifact from the New England colonies, this textile was handmade by the wife of Yale University’s founder Rev. Thomas Buckingham. 

While textbooks focus on the great documents of the American past, or the important events, artifacts can show us another kind of history, another way of approaching the past. The Buckingham Quilt is an American treasure that not only connects people, it tells its own story of colonial history by representing a bygone era 100 years before the birth of America.

After almost 350 years, the living descendant and trustee, who wishes to remain anonymous, has chosen to no longer enshrine and isolate The Buckingham Quilt but instead open it up to provide opportunities to challenge and enhance our understanding of the past:

“The Buckingham Quilt is important to us as a way to approach the past. It provides us a way into history. It is a touchstone that bring memories and meanings to life. It makes history real. Moreover, it is a reality that can and should be viewed from different perspectives. Looking closely at this artifact, putting it into historical context, and using it to understand the past, is exactly what we need to do.”

Read more and see the first images made public at buckinghamquilt.com

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