99044


Home Page

Archives
Appraisers
Articles
Bibliography
Books
Cleaning
Conservation
Dating
Gallery
Join QHL
Member Links
Frappr
Museums
Quilt Restoration
Study Groups
Subscribe
Teachers
Search

Comments

Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1999 22:42:21 -0500

From: Anthony <ajones2@tampabay.rr.com

I find that there are distinct groups at auctions. There are the people who are buying for resale, dealers, investors, etc.. They are limited to the half of retail rule. Then you have people buying for themselves or others. We can usually bid well retail or even above, since the item is for personal use and even retail is a good price to us. I collect Fiestaware and have bid well above "book value" for items for my collection. Typically we do auctions because we want unusual items that we can't find retail. Of course, a good price is often a fun bonus. Of course, the internet is mixing it up even more. I think eBay prices are mostly retail; at the very most, retail on sale. Around here in West Florida, procelain and glass goes for outrageous prices at auctions (Royal Doulton, Limoges, Heisey, Fostoria, etc). That's because there are a lot of collectors around here who haunt the auctions buying for their own collections.

So, when you are determining if auctions prices accurately reflect the market, you need to have a sense of who is bidding.. Once 99% of people at auctions were resellers and we all went to their shops to buy retail. Now you find a lot more people who go to the auctions to buy for themselves.

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1999 22:32:07 EST

From: WileneSmth@aol.com

I think those awful import quilts from the orient are primarily responsible for the prices of American vintage quilts sagging so bad. I don't buy and sell old quilts like I used to, but several of my antique dealer friends do and they say they only sell less than six a year now, if that many, and all of them blame the import quilts. An alarming number of "our" old American quilts are being shipped overseas, too, in both directions. Since I live and work in Wichita, KS, I'm ashamed to admit that I have to share breathing space with that "other" quilt dealer, who, I have to add, was "at it again" in last Sunday's paper -- "BUYING OLD QUILTS!" among other things. A couple of years ago, I met a lady who had a friend whose son worked nights for that dealer and his primary job was packing boxes and boxes of quilts for shipment overseas. She was fascinated. I was horrified. Again, just my own thoughts, observations, and personal experiences. --Wilene

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 08:40:06 -0500

From: Nancy Roberts <robertsn@norwich.net

Thanks to Barbara Woodford for posting the Warman's Today's Collector magazine reference for the article on vintage quilt prices. Several of you replied asking for the source and, although I've been hunting diligently, I have yet to find the magazine. Now I can stop looking-it's sure to turn up that way. I've learned a lot from the comments and observations you've all shared. Nancy

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 09:25:47 -0500

From: "Daniel & Diana Dillman" <deedillman@mail.wideopen.net

I agree with everything Alan said. I attend the same auction house frequently and sometimes you deflate when you see certain people/dealers walk in because you know there's no way you'll win the bidding war. There are times, though, when you really luck out (like the time I walked out with three great quilts) and that makes up for the disappoinments. I've learned not to be too serious about it all.

Dee

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 09:02:44 -0600

From: Laura Hobby Syler <texas_quilt.co@mail.airmail.net

VQTS will have our first Quilt College of 1999 February 26 & 27 on the campus of the University of Texas at Dallas.....Friday evening and all day Saturday.

Elizabeth Kruella, author of several books on the history of lace will be doing a lecture on hand and machine made antique laces on Friday evening. Saturday we will continue our ongoing fabric dating studies, a session on *cotton* quilt restoration ( last time we got stuck on silks, velvets and crazies) and we will have a segment on African American quilts. If you are in the area but unable to attend Session I of the 1999 Term of VQTS Quilt College, the African-American made quilts from the Fuquay family in Dallas will be on display in the McDermott Library adjacent to the Womens Center ( who graciously hosts our activities) The story behind the collection is quite interesting. The exhibit will be up after the 15th of Feb.

Mini-conference fee is $40 for members $65 for guests. Deadline for registration for Session I is officially Tues ( I did extend it due to the holiday on Monday) but if you *really* want to come, or want more information about future VQTS Quilt Colleges (we will have them in May, August and November) give me a call at 972-783-4149.or email vqts1@airmail.net

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 10:10:06 EST

From: Tmauvlus@aol.com

I want to add one more thought to the discussion about quilt prices,

especially those in antique malls/shops.

It has been my personal experince that some (most) antique shop owners/dealers

are not completely knowledgeable about textiles. They may be experts in

mission furniture, or vintage jewelry, or depression glass - or all of the

above, but most are not as well versed in quilts.

For instance, there is an antique mall that I used to visit frequently to

check out quilt values - one dealer prices ALL quilts at $350.00. If it is

ready for the dog-bed, it is $350. If it is a red and green to-die-for mid

19th C., it is $350. See where I am going with this?

Yet another dealer in the area stopped taking quilts totally. I asked him

why there were no more quilts there - he said he could not tell a Chinese

import from a priceless heirloom quality quilt, so in order to prevent selling

something without accurate information, he just doesn't sell quilts at all.

Please don't misunderstand me here, I am not saying that you can't go out into

the marketplace and find accurate values; I am just saying to take it all with

a grain of salt.

One last story to illustrate my point. A friend was driving thru town at a

slow enough speed to spy a quilt inside a shop. She stopped, went inside, and

found to her dismay it was a polyester double knit horror. Just underneath

that quilt, however, was a C.1860 Princess Feather with wide chintz borders of

hanging grapes and vines. Mouth-watering - and actual replacement value would

be sky-high. She purchased the P.F. for twenty bucks, all the while the

gentleman was insisting that she was buying the "wrong" quilt - he thought the

double knit was much finer.

Caveat Emptor. Teddy Pruett in FLorida

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 12:41:31 EST

From: Jilly31@aol.com

Hello to everyone. I have been reading this list for a while some time

without comment. I must admit I have learned a lot from all the postings and

find everyone's comments quite interesting. I enjoy collecting old and

contemporary quilts. Although I only own six quilts right now I am always

looking for more. I recently attended a local auction and wanting to bid on a

dated 1848 coverlet. I didn't get it and really didn't even get to bid

because the price soared quickly and was out of my reach (or so I thought at

the time...I could just kick myself for letting it get away!). However, since

then I have discovered that the price it went for is actually cheap! Oh well,

I will know better next time. I just bought a quilt at the local antique mall

and couldn't figure out why it was so cheap. I thought it may be a fraud but I

still am not sure. I am just now beginning to collect quilts (and I love

them!) but still don't know much about them. I have one that I cannot

identify the pattern. It looks like an askewed star but a little different.

I suppose there are some differences in patterns made in different parts of

the country. It is all hand stitched but not dated and heavily quilted.

Pinks and calicos dominate the colors. If anyone can tell me how to make a

better identification of this quilt it would be appreciated. I also have a

Rose of Sharon quilt that I boutght at an auction reasonably priced. Around

here quilts at auctions can go anywhere from $50 to $500. I have yet to see

one go for more than that. So you can see that coverlet was a steal! Sorry

to ramble on....but it is so much fun talking about my quilts.

Jill from Centerville, Indiana

Home of the Historic Centerville Quilt Show (June 1999)

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 11:01:04 -0800 (PST)

From: Pamela Robersson <quiltcollector@yahoo.com

I have been following the postings about quilt auctions/pricing for

several days now. I agree 110% with Xenia's comment. It is not a

standardized market. If someone really wants a quilt...and has $$

they can outpay the guy who wants it but doesn't have the money. Same

thing in real estate, in every market. Some times it is a sellers

market, some times a buyers.

At auctions - it depends upon who's there, and the number of bidders.

I have bought wonderful quilts for next to nothing because only a

handful of bidders venture out to an auction on a stormy day - there

is no competition.

The best advice is to know your product and what you are willing to

pay. I have seen dealers mark up quilts an extra 50% for shows like

Paducah, then take those tags off when they get back to town and

reality.

I know another dealer who is HAPPY to make $25 off a quilt - after all

she says, all she does is buy it and put it on her shelf - if she has

to restore or clean it, then she adds on $50 for her time and trouble.

There is no way to validate a price - except what a willing and

informed buyer will pay at an auction, to a dealer, or the gal down

the road.

Pam

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 14:52:24 EST

From: AZquilter9@aol.com

Thank you, Alan, for the wonderful advice. As someone new to the collecting

end of quilts, your information was very helpful. Fortunately, when I've been

out looking, I have had a knowledgeable friend with me who tells me whether

the price is fair and advises me what to offer. Maybe one of these days I'll

be able to buy solo thanks to you and Xenia and others on this list willing to

share information.

Lois

<< If you want to learn pricing, go out and look at every quilt in your area

and learn the pricing.

It'll vary, but you need to learn the quilt pricing to be able to determine

if the price is fair on the quilt you want. Once you're comfortable with that, you'l start muttering that "that's a fair price" and have you shopping companion look at you in complete horror because the tag is over $1000 "for that old blanket"!

-------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 00:34:12 EST

From: WileneSmth@aol.com

A few more thoughts and personal experiences -- I began buying and selling old

quilts in 1978 and continued until the mid-to-late-1980s, but continue now to

make the rounds of shops, malls, and flea markets for other quilt-related

items, especially old published paper and old quilt blocks for my research.

Of course, the old quilts still catch my attention, too, and always will.

Throughout the last 20+ years, I've often observed that general antiques

dealers, especially the newer ones, tend to overprice quilts without knowing

anything more about them than the fact that "it's a quilt," and often don't

know the difference between a hand-quilted quilt, a machine-quilted quilt, or

a tied comfort, not to mention how old (or new) it might be. The general idea

seems to be that since it's a quilt, then it must be valuable. How many

auction goers out there have observed much the same thing among the

auctioneers? Especially the farm auctioneers? I rather enjoy watching them

stick their foot in their mouth, but keep silent because the bidding will

usually tell the tale.

On the reverse side of that coin, not all long time dealers in vintage

textiles, including quilts, always know how to date quilts. One long time

dealer that I've known for a long time doesn't have the slightest idea how to

distinguish an early 1800s quilt from a mid-1800s from a late-1800s, and just

figures they're all around 1900 somewhere. What's even worse, she washes many

of them in her washer and dryer at home because her younger customers like

them "puffy." Actually, I think it's probably the dealer herself that likes

them that way, not to mention wanting them clean, too.

As to the idea of antique dealers paying "wholesale" for a doubling of the

price to "retail" is, in my view, an old wives tale so to speak, especially

for high dollar items such as quilts. Dealers generally pay a price that's

reasonable enough that they feel they can add to and make a profit to pay the

bills and expenses (not to mention taxes), and hopefully have something left

over for themselves. Of course, this varies from person to person, and place

to place, and greatly depends on the dealer's location and overhead.

For Sally in the UK -- I haven't the slightest idea just where overseas all

the quilts are going (I've often wondered the same thing), but a lot of

American antiques of all descriptions have been going to Japan for about the

last ten years. Even some of the TV network news magazines have done stories

relating to this phenomenon. And not just antiques, but most anything

American. Perhaps Americans will reciprocate in the compliment one day?

--Wilene

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 01:04:56 -0500

From: "J. G. Row" <Judygrow@blast.net>

To: "Quilt History List" <QHL@cuenet.com>, <WileneSmth@aol.com>

Subject: QHL: LCPQ

Message-ID: <004801be58a9$1d0162e0$1ce8c6cf@judy-grow>

Content-Type: text/plain;

charset="iso-8859-1"

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

The last issue I have is from just a number of months ago. The new owners,

Firestone Publishing, installed a wife and son (of the publisher) as editor

and art director, and they just didn't know nothin' about birthin' a quilt

mag.

I am filling out a form to try and retrieve the rest of my subscription from

them.

> I find it really sad that the editor

>who replaced Louise Townsend and is primarily responsible for the

magazine's

>content neither enjoys or appreciates history.

Please remember that the best of today's quilting usually winds up in the

best of today's quilt magazines, and these quilts are tomorrow's history.

Don't neglect them. I think it is important to know where those historical

examples have taken us.

Judy in Ringoes, NJ

judygrow@blast.net

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 01:41:50 EST

From: WileneSmth@aol.com

To: J. G. Row <Judygrow@blast.net>

Cc: QHL@cuenet.com

Subject: QHL: Re: LCPQ & QNM, et al

Message-ID: <16c16aea.36c7c1ae@aol.com>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit

<< Please remember that the best of today's quilting usually winds up in the

best of today's quilt magazines, and these quilts are tomorrow's history.

Don't neglect them. I think it is important to know where those historical

examples have taken us. >>

Absolutely. My point exactly. The old ones lead us to the new ones, and

both, together, take us into the future. The old ones tell us where we've

been and the new ones tell us where we are. The only thing I worry about with

all the absolutely incredible quilts being created today is if today's fabrics

will allow them to be around 200 years from now, but, then, we'll never know,

will we? Sure hope so, though. (I especially enjoy looking at today's

optical illusion quilts and the realistic picture quilts.) --Wilene

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 08:51:48 -0500

From: Merry May <cluesew@jerseycape.com>

To: QHL@cuenet.com

Subject: QHL: Prices, QNM, etc.

Message-ID: <36C82672.2684@jerseycape.com>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Hi all :-) Just wanted to inject a couple of thoughts/comments on the

recent topics. On pricing, I think the cheap imported quilts have hurt

in two ways: first, they're available at the local Wal-Mart for $29.95,

so the typical consumer will shun the good ones (antique or not) because

of the bargain-basement prices; the second way they've hurt, especially

in the antiques market, is by being carried by either disreputable or

unknowledgeable dealers (I'm talking general antiques dealers, not our

wonderful antique quilt experts) who try to pass them off as antiques.

I can not tell you how many times my DH and I have been browsing in an

antiques mall and seen these imported quilts with deceptive tags on

them, trying to pass them off as the real thing... of course, the prices

are upwards of at least $200; often $350 or more. Sometimes the tag

will say, "Hand-stitched Quilt," but when the average buyer sees this in

an antiques shop, they naturally tend to assume that it's an oldie.

Again, caveat emptor. You REALLY know it's a fraud when you see the

hole in the seam at the edge of the quilt where the manufacturer's

content tag used to be!

On QNM, for those who are unhappy with the new format and such, I would

recommend that you take a few moments to look up either their editorial

address, or their email address and tell them about your complaints.

Don't assume that they're monitoring this list, or any other list, and

that they'll somehow read our minds! Believe me, editors DO read mail;

maybe not as quickly as we'd like them to, but they do read it and take

it into consideration. If they get enough mail about an issue or

concern, then they'll start making some changes.

And (although I realize this is sort of off-topic, and I beg your

indulgence) as for LCPQ, Part 1 of my Inspector Cluesew's Case #110

appeared in their LAST issue (came out around last August)... this means

there are people who have cut their fabrics for this mystery quilt, and

now have no idea how to find Part 2. Rob at The Quilt Channel has

kindly agreed to carry the instructions as a series, so it can now be

found at:

http://www.quiltchannel.com/strippy1.htm

Please spread the word to those lost souls out there who have all of

these fabrics cut and don't know where to find the rest of the

instructions!! Thanks. ... and now, back to lurkdom.... :-)

Take care.

Merry :-)

Merry May (a.k.a Inspector Cluesew & Jessica Four-Patch)

Schoolhouse Enterprises

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 09:51:44 -0500

From: Jean Ann <quiltmag@mindspring.com>

To: QHL@cuenet.com

Subject: QHL: Hawaiian Quilt History and more

Message-Id: <v03007803b2ede02030c9@[207.69.244.14]>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I just spent a week in Hawaii, after being invited there to feature Hawiian

Quilts in QUILT magazine for the next year. I was able to photograph

historic quilts at four historic sites. They were the Bishop Museum, Lyman

House Museum, Mission House Museum and Queen Emma's Summer Palace.

I found the flag quilts especially interesting. They were made after the

USA took over the Hawaiian Islands because the women were determined that

they would sleep under the Hawaiian flag even though the flages were banned

from being flown. Each of these flags has the coat of arms or crowns

signifying the Hawaiian royal family which was abolished by the USA,

although descendants of the family still live in Hawaii and still use their

titles as do the other residents there.

The Lyman House Museum is on the big island and the other three museums are

on Oahu in Honolulu. The Lyman House Museum has a splendid small exhibit of

a half dozen full size antique Hawaiian quilts. There are also several

miniature quilts in mini room vignettes. The mini quilter were made by

Elizabeth Akana and the historical info for the exhibit was written by her.

This exhibit is available to travel to other museums and we hope to get the

word out about this in the magazine.

Naturally all of the museums hope to attract tourists to their museums to

see their quilts and their other interesting exhibits that show Hawaiian

life from the time the first missionaries came.

I didnt go to the beach even one time. I spent the time when I was not at

the museums visiting quilters on the islands and seeing the magnificent

quilts they make. I have never had a particular interest in making a

Hawaiian quilt but now I cant wait to do so.

In the past year QUILT has been invited to more and more museums to

photograph quilts in their collections. In the summer issue we will feature

a Baltimore Album quilt that was recently acquired by the DAR Museum in

Washington DC that has twenty-five blocks each and every one of them signed

by Mary Simon. It is believed to be the only quilt that has every block

made by Mary Simon. A writer from DC interviewd Nancy Tuckman about the

quilt and its acquisition.

I came prepared to pay a fee to each of the museums for the photography of

their quilts. This was required by each of the museums to cover the cost of

the personnel that had to be in attendance at the photography sessions. It

is a perfectly understandable cost involved with photographing historic

quilts in museum settings as museums today are struggling to get funding to

cover the costs of operating. Fortunately my publisher allows a budget for

these expenses so I can work with the museums and get the pictures and

stories. Also, in Hawaii I would probably not have gotten entre into the

museums without the State of Hawaii sponsoring my trip and supporting our

writing the stories. He also paid the expense of the photographter to be in

Hawaii and the professional day rates for the photography.

Quilters who have small museums in their area with quilt collections can do

advance work with the museum administration to see if they would be willing

to have their collection photographed and featured in a quilt magazine with

a story about the museum. It takes a bit of advance planning to get such a

story to a magazine. If your museum is willing then the next step is to

contact a magazine and see if they are interested. Editors would need to

know what fee they need to pay the museum and what limitations there would

be on actually taking the pictures. Can quilts be moved to be photographed

on a bed, for instance. Can glass cases be opened so a picture can be

taken? All of these things need to work together for historic quilts to be

photographed and featured in your favorite magazine.

That's my two cents worth in seeing more historic quilts in quilt

magazines. It is a lot of work, and expense, but I think it is well worth

it. But then, I live in a hundred year old house that is a half mile from a

Civil War national battlefield and everything in this town is historic and

I love it! I wouldnt live anywhere else.

Jean Ann Eitel, Editor

QUILT magazine site: http://www.quiltmag.com - IRC chat site:

http://www.quilttalk.com

Personal web site: http://www.mindspring.com/~quiltmag/jeanann/jaeindex.html

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 09:48:51 EST

From: CABHoney@aol.com

To: QHL@cuenet.com

Subject: QHL: underground railroad

Message-ID: <9733c87c.36c833d3@aol.com>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit

I know this has been discussed a lot, but one more time, what is the name of

the author and the new book about underground railroad quilts? My coworker is

African American and her church is doing a presentation about African American

History Month and would like the name of the book. The discussion among the

ladies in her church was exactly as I read on this list: different quilt

patterns meant different things, and even the way a quilt was hanging outside

meant something different. Thank you for the info once again and I promise to

pay more attention.

Cindy Honeycutt

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 11:22:29 EST

From: Baglady111@aol.com

To: QHL@cuenet.com, ttsw@ttsw.com

Subject: QHL: ELDERHOSTEL

Message-ID: <6b716518.36c849c5@aol.com>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit

Can anyone offer the email address or web site for the ELDERHOSTEL? please

email privately..thanx...Jane

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 22:18:38 +0300

From: "John Ordway" <ordway@glas.apc.org>

To: <QHL@cuenet.com>

Subject: QHL: Questions; this and that

Message-ID: <000001be5917$fe667540$0100a8c0@ordway.glas.apc.org>

Content-Type: text/plain;

charset="iso-8859-1"

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Hi all -- I have a mixed posting here.

Qs:

1) 150th statehood CA quilt: would someone see if they can find out the

schedule for June for me (i.e. what part of CA it will be in)? Thanks.

2) Handpiecing w/silk: I am thinking about vacation hand projects, and am

thinking about a grandmother's flower garden (no brainer).

I can get silk inexpensively here, but should I back it first with some

light interfacing? At this point I don't have a lot of free time, so I'd

like to order those nice heavy English paper piecing templates -- there used

to be a mail order company that I think was called Paper Pieces ... anybody

have an address? Also, working with silk -- should I use silk thread for

basting and whip stitching?

3) If I don't do the silk, I'll do baby blocks. Forgive me for being so

elementary, but I don't think I need to paper piece those ... can't I just

put them together as if I were doing lily petals or something?

XENIA: There was an article in the Moscow Times last week -- I'll find it

for you and send it to you if you like (send me an address) -- Feb. 6 was

St. Kcensia's name day. She was a combination of a helper of the poor, a

healer, and ... a mystic (a nice way of saying the locals thought she was a

little touched in the head <gg>)

Quilting in Russia: I was at the Russian museum in St. Petersburg this

weekend. In the "Folk Art" wing, I saw a very colorful pieced pineapple

quilt. The pineapple quilt was made in 1981, was called "patchwork quilt"

and was from the Archangelsk region (far north). You can tell it was

machine quilted. There was a booklet to buy, for all of $1.50 or so, that

had some other pictures of equally colorful scrap quilts - log cabin, le

Moyne star, folded patchwork star coasters, and fabric braided rugs. The

only "old" piece was a picture of a medallion style quilt from the end of

the 19th century, from the Kazanskaya province full of one patch squares,

flying geese, and diamonds in a square. The fabrics are fascinating: the

edge larger triangles are made of the famous red "cambric" (copper dye plate

fabrics) that are no longer made in Russia. The one patch squares look as if

they were right in the same age group of US fabrics at that time-- it's

almost as if I am recognizing some of the Smithsonian reproductions here! I

wonder where all the fabric came from.

A first: a patchwork quilt book (w/instructions) published in Russian by a

Russian woman, Irina Muchanova, 1998. All of the quilts are from Russian

fabrics and she does a good job of making them work. Russian fabrics are

similar to our 60s and 70s calicos. There are a few original pieces, but

most seem to be along the Jinny Beyer line of patterns using diamonds and

color placement -- I recognize them. Not that they look like Jinny Beyer

quilts -- the fabrics are completely different! There are no pattern

templates, but illustsrations for many blocks.I think the book cost under 2

dollars!

That's alll,

Maryjo in Moscow

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 14:22:52 -0500

From: "John and Cinda Cawley" <cawley@epix.net>

To: "QHL" <QHL@cuenet.com>

Subject: QHL: Poppy quilt top, etc.

Message-ID: <01be5918$9503e460$3e41e0c7@mailhost.epix.net.epix.net>

Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

boundary="----=_NextPart_000_000E_01BE58EE.AC2DDC60"

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_000E_01BE58EE.AC2DDC60

Content-Type: text/plain;

charset="iso-8859-1"

Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I was in Easton, MD on the Eastern Shore last week and found a completed =

top of a Poppy quilt kit. The top is 82x98". =20

The flowers are in two shades of red, the leaves and stems in two shades =

of green. The only identification on it is the number 7-2477 stamped on =

the top and bottom. The workmanship is beautiful, applique and =

embroidery. It has a couple of "liver spots," but is otherwise perfect. =

=20

Questions: Can anybody help identify this quilt as to date and =

manufacturer. It is not Marie Webster's Poppy and it is not the =

Progress Company Poppy Wreath on p. 5 of the Mary Schaffer book. The =

flowers are similar to the Progress Poppy but they are arranged in swags =

in each quarter of the quilt sort of outlining a large quilted center; =

there are smaller versions of the motif in the outer corners of the top. =

I'm assuming I should make no attempt to remove the spots for fear of =

losing the blue quinting marks. Am I right?

Zenia or Wilene can you help? =20

My other new acquisition (a Valentine present found yesterday in =

Sciota, PA in the Poconos) is a Variable Star in cheddar, poison green =

and an odd shade of rusty red which since I saw the exhibit in =

Bethlehem last fall I associate with the Moravians. Barb Garrett will =

know exactly what I mean. Are these incredible color combinations found =

anywhere other than eastern PA?

John said he doesn't think anybody else would want a quilt with so much =

orange. In my best condescending voice I told him it was cheddar not =

orange. "Looks like Velveeta to me" was his

reply. But I know in his secret heart he loves it too. =20

Cinda in Scranton=20

------=_NextPart_000_000E_01BE58EE.AC2DDC60

Content-Type: text/html;

charset="iso-8859-1"

Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">

I was in Easton, MD on the Eastern = Shore last=20 week and found a completed top of a Poppy quilt kit. The top is=20 82x98".
The flowers are in two shades of red, the leaves = and=20 stems in two shades of green. The only identification on it is the = number=20 7-2477 stamped on the top and bottom. The workmanship is = beautiful,=20 applique and embroidery. It has a couple of "liver = spots," but=20 is otherwise perfect.

Questions: = Can anybody=20 help identify this quilt as to date and manufacturer. It is not = Marie=20 Webster's Poppy and it is not the Progress Company Poppy Wreath on p. 5 = of the=20 Mary Schaffer book. The flowers are similar to the Progress Poppy = but they=20 are arranged in swags in each quarter of the quilt sort of outlining a = large=20 quilted center; there are smaller versions of the motif in the outer = corners of=20 the top. I'm assuming I should make no attempt to remove the spots = for=20 fear of losing the blue quinting marks. Am I right?

Zenia or Wilene = can you=20 help?

My other new = acquisition (a=20 Valentine present found yesterday in Sciota, PA in the Poconos) is a = Variable=20 Star in cheddar, poison green and an odd shade of rusty red which = since I=20 saw the exhibit in Bethlehem last fall I associate with the = Moravians. =20 Barb Garrett will know exactly what I mean. Are these incredible = color=20 combinations found anywhere other than eastern PA?

John said he doesn't think anybody = else would=20 want a quilt with so much orange. In my best condescending voice I = told=20 him it was cheddar not orange. "Looks like Velveeta to = me" was=20 his

reply. But I know in his = secret heart he=20 loves it too.

Cinda in=20 Scranton

------=_NextPart_000_000E_01BE58EE.AC2DDC60--

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 15:05:59 -0500

From: "Phyllis Twigg" <ptwigg@radix.net>

To: "QHL" <QHL@cuenet.com>

Subject: QHL: Poly batts in old quilts

Message-ID: <005a01be591e$9c0f6c60$30e230d1@jtwigg>

Content-Type: text/plain;

charset="iso-8859-1"

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Does anyone know the earliest dates for polyester batting? I have a baby

quilt in question. The owner feels it was made in 1949 but it contains a

polyester batt. According the the "Mountain Mist Blue Book of Quilts", the

polyester batts were first marketed in 1956 in a twin size for the wholesale

price of $ 3.40. Barbara Brackman refers to poly batts as a clue to the

1960's and later. Did any other company produce one earlier ?

Thanks !

Phyllis Twigg

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 15:49:10 EST

From: QuiltFixer@aol.com

To: ordway@glas.apc.org, QHL@cuenet.com

Subject: Re: QHL: Questions; this and that

Message-ID: <194fa8f7.36c88846@aol.com>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit

In a message dated 2/15/99 11:19:47 AM Pacific Standard Time,

ordway@glas.apc.org writes:

<< Also, working with silk -- should I use silk thread for

basting and whip stitching? >>

I always use silk thread with silk. I always try to use like thread to fabric

such as cotton to cotton, etc. I have done a lot of quilt repair work and

have found this to be best. Also have you seen much Red Embroidery in Russia?

I teach and lecture on Redwork and am always looking for more information. I

have seen lots of German work, but think there must be Russian work as well.

Toni B.

QuiltFixer@aol.com

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 21:59:33 -0000

From: "Jenni Dobson" <jenni@dobson4qu.freeserve.co.uk>

To: "Quilt History List" <QHL@cuenet.com>

Subject: QHL: Thoughts on an old quilt?

Message-ID: <000801be592f$36993da0$4b02883e@jenni>

Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0004_01BE592E.7841D2E0"

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BE592E.7841D2E0

Content-Type: text/plain;

charset="iso-8859-1"

Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I'd be really interested if any members of this list would like to send =

me any thoughts they have about an 'old' quilt I recently bought, =

intending to write about it for a short history chapter in my next book. =

I was looking for a design that would be simple to sew & originally =

thought it'd be good to choose a non-antique piece, i.e. something old =

but not significantly so, the sort of thing people might come across =

rather than a museum piece. So I decided to buy a quilt that I saw & =

took a quick pic. of last July, on sale at a quilt exhibition in Wales.

I'm still happy to write about it now I've got it but closer inspection =

has changed some of my ideas. I know you can't see the pattern but if =

anyone really wants to, I could attach a pic to an e-mail (email me =

direct to request it). The quilt was labelled "Skyscrapers" and "40s / =

50s fabrics" & that it came from Ontario. Through contact with Barbara =

Brackman the block is actually already identified as one in her =

Encyclopedia called Monument, (# 889). She says it was published in the =

Ohio Farmer magazine in 1890, and is a mourning pattern. This is =

interesting to me partly because it means the pattern was already an old =

one when the blocks were made. I found this out while waiting for the =

quilt to come.

Now I have it, I don't entirely agree with the proposed dates of the =

fabrics - I'm waiting for my Dating Fabrics book to come, but tho' I'm =

no great scholar, I've helped on the UK Documentation project & many of =

the fabrics look older, some were probably recycled into blocks from =

clothing. I know a quilt can be no older than the newest fabric so it =

still might've been made in the 40s. However, as I handled it I turned =

to the back & this looks like quite newly washed muslin. Closer =

inspection thro' the holes in one block also showed polyester batting. =

The general appearance of the top looks as if maybe it's an older top =

that has been more recently layered & quilted!=20

As I didn't buy it for great historic worth, I can live with this - in a =

way, it'll make a good story about how you 'detect' its story. But it =

prompts some questions - e.g. when did the kind of polyester batting =

we're familiar with come into production? Can anyone help me on this =

one? or with any other thoughts?

Thanks for taking time to read all this - looking forward to comments.

Jenni Dobson, UK.

------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BE592E.7841D2E0

Content-Type: text/html;

charset="iso-8859-1"

Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">

I'd be really interested if any = members of this=20 list would like to send me any thoughts they have about an 'old' quilt I = recently bought, intending to write about it for a short history chapter = in my=20 next book. I was looking for a design that would be simple to sew &=20 originally thought it'd be good to choose a non-antique piece, i.e. = something=20 old but not significantly so, the sort of thing people might come across = rather=20 than a museum piece. So I decided to buy a quilt that I saw & took a = quick=20 pic. of last July, on sale at a quilt exhibition in Wales.

I'm still happy to write about it = now I've got=20 it but closer inspection has changed some of my ideas. I know you can't = see the=20 pattern but if anyone really wants to, I could attach a pic to an e-mail = (email=20 me direct to request it). The quilt was labelled "Skyscrapers" = and=20 "40s / 50s fabrics" & that it came from Ontario. Through = contact=20 with Barbara Brackman the block is actually already identified as one in = her=20 Encyclopedia called Monument, (# 889). She says it was published in the = Ohio=20 Farmer magazine in 1890, and is a mourning pattern. This is interesting = to me=20 partly because it means the pattern was already an old one when the = blocks were=20 made. I found this out while waiting for the quilt to come.

Now I have it, I don't entirely = agree with the=20 proposed dates of the fabrics - I'm waiting for my Dating Fabrics book = to come,=20 but tho' I'm no great scholar, I've helped on the UK Documentation = project &=20 many of the fabrics look older, some were probably recycled into blocks = from=20 clothing. I know a quilt can be no older than the newest fabric so it = still=20 might've been made in the 40s. However, as I handled it I turned to the = back=20 & this looks like quite newly washed muslin. Closer inspection thro' = the=20 holes in one block also showed polyester batting. The general appearance = of the=20 top looks as if maybe it's an older top that has been more recently = layered=20 & quilted!

As I didn't buy it for great = historic worth, I=20 can live with this - in a way, it'll make a good story about how you = 'detect'=20 its story. But it prompts some questions - e.g. when did the kind of = polyester=20 batting we're familiar with come into production? Can anyone help me on = this=20 one? or with any other thoughts?

Thanks for taking time to read all = this -=20 looking forward to comments.

Jenni Dobson, = UK.

------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BE592E.7841D2E0--

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 17:18:20 -0500

From: Vivien Lee Sayre <vsayre@nesa.com>

To: QHL@cuenet.com

Subject: QHL: Penny McMorris

Message-Id: <3.0.3.32.19990215171820.0070d270@mail.nesa.com>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Hi All,

Does anyone know Penny McMorris' address? Is she on e-mail? Thanks in

advance for any help you can give me.

Vivien in Cold but Beautiful Massachusetts. (No snow yet :-( )

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 17:43:14 EST

From: KareQuilt@aol.com

To: WileneSmth@aol.com, QHL-Digest@cuenet.com

Subject: Quilts Shipped overseas

Message-ID: <e2c1572f.36c8a302@aol.com>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit

RE: <A couple of years ago, I met a lady who had a friend whose son worked

nights for that dealer and his primary job was packing boxes and boxes of

quilts for shipment overseas.>

This would be a fascinating area of research. Wilene, do you have any more

info? I go to Switzerland on business twice a year. Stopped at a quilt shop

in a major city. They had stacks of antique American quilts. I was amazed, but

should not have been, I suppose. The woman was not about to tell me her trade

secrets (source). She was quite upset about an issue in Europe over

"patchworkers" vs "real quilters/quilt artists." I had not even be aware of

such an issue prior to encountering her. Her "passion" left me speechless. My

"observer me" just LISTENED and tryed to take some mental notes. Her assistant

finally came over and intervened and diplomatically steered her partner off

her soapbox. Very interesting experience. We quilters and researchers ARE

passionate about our subject, aren't we!

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 18:37:13 EST

From: Baglady111@aol.com

To: NinePatchN@aol.com, QHL@cuenet.com, kaffee-klatsch@quilt.com

Subject: QHL: Feedsack Club Conference

Message-ID: <1f66ea8b.36c8afa9@aol.com>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit

5th ANNUAL FEEDSACK CLUB CONFERENCE

APRIL 1999

We are

MOVING!! MOVING!! MOVING!!

NEW LOCATION

HOLIDAY INN LANCASTER-VISITORS CENTER

521 GREENFIELD ROAD

LANCASTER, PA 17601

PH 717-299-2551

DATES: APRIL 8-9-10, 1999

THURSDAY the 8th. 10:00am-6:00pm

FRIDAY AND SAT 10:00am-9:00pm

FEEDSACK QUILT SHOW

FEEDSACK DISPLAY/EXHIBIT

VENDORS

LECTURES

SHOW & TELL

DEMOS

BUY-SELL-TRADE

FOR MORE INFORMATION

SEND A LONG SELF ADDRESSED ENVELOPE TO

FEEDSACK CONFERENCE

25 S. STARR AVE #16

PITTSBURGH, PA 15202

PH. 412-766-3996

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 19:29:33 EST

From: WileneSmth@aol.com

To: KareQuilt@aol.com

Cc: QHL-Digest@cuenet.com

Subject: Re: Quilts Shipped overseas

Message-ID: <fbe67dc9.36c8bbed@aol.com>

Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit

<< Subj: Quilts Shipped overseas

Date: 99-02-15 17:43:14 EST

From: KareQuilt

To: WileneSmth, QHL-Digest@cuenet.com