Robert and Ardis James purchased this Mariner’s Compass in May 1979 for $100. It was not the first quilt they owned, but it was the first quilt they purchased, launching their collection which grew to number more than 1000. They collected throughout the 1980s and 1990s, ultimately deciding to give the bulk of their collection to the University of Nebraska, Lincoln where they also helped fund the International Quilt Study Center & Museum. Their collection of quilts ranging from early traditional quilts to studio quilts provides the basis for the museum’s collection.