Quilts

When early Scottish emigrants arrived on the shores of America they brought with them a rich heritage of creative skill. Keen to establish comfortable homes in the face of great hardship, the industrious women of the emerging communities turned their hands to Needlework, organising sewing circles to build friendships and to produce warm and beautiful quilts. Today, the renewed fascination with craft traditions and folk history has made these early American quilts an increasingly popular collecting area.

Early quilts, dating from c1770-1850, are usually the most sought after. A fine quality Baltimore album quilt sold for just under £100,000 in the late 1980s and this record set the precedent for fine antique quilt values. Baltimore ‘album’ quilts – made up of separately designed blocks – are generally highly prized and can be worth as much as £5,000 or far more.

Quality and detail of the workmanship are keys to value. Attractiveness of design and overall condition are also crucial. Later quilts in excellent condition are often a better investment than shabby 19thC examples, as tears and Staining will significantly reduce appeal. Well-realised and personalised designs with historical significance and strong Provenance are very desirable. Skinner sold an appliquéd Civil War era quilt, made by a Margaret Hazzard when her husband joined the army and depicting local Berrien County buildings, for over £40,000. Increasingly popular are quilts by African American makers, especially signed examples, and these can be worth £100-300 or more.

There are thousands of recognised patterns to choose from such as ‘Tumbling Blocks’ or ‘Bear Paw’, and many examples remain affordable. Simple quilts from the late 19th and early 20thC, with designs such as ‘Star’ or ‘Irish Chain’, can be found for as little as £50. Light summer quilts can also be relatively inexpensive, particularly those from the early 20thC – prices start at about £50 More complex patterns, such as the Crazy quilt, made up of assorted shapes of fabric and popular from the 1870s to c1910, can fetch more and are typically worth from £100 to several thousand pounds.

Find out more...
'Quilts 1700 - 2010: Hidden Histories, Untold Stories', by Sue Prichard, published by V&A Publishing.
'Classic Quilts: From the American Museum in Britain', by Kate Herbert & Laura Beresford, published by Scala Publishers Ltd.