WOW!! I have never seen a quilt like this in 36 years!! Well, actually I sold this quilt 10 years ago. Many of my clients are downsizing and as a result some amazing quilts are back for sale. Originally this quilt was a gift from a very prominent family in New Hampshire to a beloved caretaker, and then was passed down through the generations.

Comprised of 64 7-1/2" blocks made up of silk strips and ribbons 5/8" to 3/4" in width. Every strip is embellished with over the top designs using silk embroidery threads. There are dozens and dozens of different design embroidery stitching. The mark of excellence for a Victorian Crazy Quilt is 100 different stitches. The embroidery on this quilt is so far over the top of any quilt I have ever seen. There must be hundreds of different embroidery stitches seen here. No question that this is a one of a kind original silk Log Cabin. Even the 2" center chimneys are embellished...many with Japanese Fans..a prominent symbol on Victorian Crazy Quilts. There are ribbons with American Flags ...Patriotism was very important.

The entire Silk Log Cabin quilt is surrounded with a 3" silk border and backed with a beautiful red Paisley design, in cotton.

Provenance will be provided upon the sale.

This one of a kind masterpiece can be sent to you, with free shipping, for your approval.

There was a recent time in our country where items were made to last forever...Today we have become what is called a throw away society. Whatever was being made was executed with skill and the thought that "it" would last forever...or at least a very, very long time! Waste not/want not was a well known saying. This wonderful "Bars" quilt is a perfect example of the fore described trait.

There are 49...4-1/2" blocks comprised if 3 to 4 strips. Many of these strips were made from as many as 4 different pieces of fabrics...scraps not to be thrown away, but used! The result here is that of a funky sophisticated Bars quilt. That may sound like an oxymoron, but the quilt is sophisticated with many Bars comprised of scraps of fabrics. We have plaids, stripes, florals and solids all combined in an artistic manner.

The back is another quilt...large squares separated by 2' strips. All work was executed by hand. The separately hand applied binding is a red and white striped silk ribbon. The result from this quilter is a beautiful, unusual and visually wonderful small quilt.

Shipping is free and I am happy to send this little quilt for your at home approval.

A perfect miniature Victorian Crazy Quilt is a rare treasure. In all these years I have found only a few original miniature Crazy Quilts..this one is exceptional, as the quilt is finished with a beautiful deep rust color silk velvet backing!

This diminutive quilt shows a wonderful array of 1870's and 1880's silk and silk velvet fabrics. The embellishment of stitchery is perfect even displaying some stitching I have never seen before...Could the creator have designed these herself? There are dozens of perfectly executed embellishment stitches along with the beautiful fabrics. The little quilt is finished off with a silk rope style cording, in a matching deep rust color to the backing, used instead of a conventional binding adding to the sophistication of this piece of art.

Perfect to be displayed either on your wall, in that special small area, or as a centerpiece for your fabulous table.

All quilts are sent with free shipping for your in-home approval.

An exquisite nineteenth century silk Barn Raising Log Cabin bordered with a 3-1/2" silk velvet in a rich plum color, then finished with a sophisticated twisted silk corded edging.

The "logs" measure between 1/2" and 3/4" with a 3/4" center chimney. All chimney's are in black silk instead of the customary red chimneys. The color change adds to a very sophisticated look. The colors seen here are a variety of black silks..some woven, some printed, some solid black. Other silks are deep red/orange, grays, beige, blues and a deep plum.

The combination of deep, rich colors all in silks added to the size has created a textile piece of art in a similar size to a framed oil. The visual impact of fabric art is not only captivating, but emulates a wonderful feeling of comfort.

I am pleased to send, with free shipping, for your final approval.

A rarity is such an elegant Victorian Crazy Quilt that is constructed from Silk Velvet. This heavily embellished quilt is actually three dimensional in many areas.

The center medallion measuring 12" square is embellished with silk chenille threads, resulting in a three dimensional floral arrangement of Peonies in bloom, leaves, buds and stems. The background fabric is silk velvet as is the entire quilt. The borders measure 8" wide which includes a 1-1/4" silk binding. The four corner blocks measuring 7" X 7" are silk with exquisite embellishment. One corner block is embellished with Pansies, one corner block is embellished with daisies constructed from ribbons, one plain block and the forth block are embellished with a tiny delicate Marguerite flower, stems and leaves constructed from silk ribbons and silk thread.

The backing is silk and the quilt is reverse tied. Crazy Quilts are not quilted.

This is one of the very, very few quilts that I will sell that is not perfect as you will notice from the price. Once hung these imperfections are hardly noticed....What does your eye see?

My husband and I were retiring and moving. I found spectacular quilts for our new home..added sleeves so they were ready to hang as visually captivating art. Then all our plans changed! We are not retiring or moving. As a result I have these quilts up for sale. Our home, due to its age of 270 years has ceilings which are very low so we would keep warm on cold New England winter nights. Therefore large areas to hang these beauties in this house is limited.

This amazing quilt was created from triangles with 5" sides that have been pieced with Logs. Six triangles are pieced together, making a hexagon block. Before piecing, the black center of each triangle is embellished...each triangle has a different embellishment executed with silk twist threads. The embellishment gives the quilt a whimsical look. The Logs are between 3/8" and 5/8" in width. Framing this exquisite work is a 3-1/2" inner silk border embellished on both sides. The outer border is comprised of alternating 3-1/4" triangles. One triangle is striped with logs then alternated with a solid black embellished triangle. There is a 1/4" black silk binding.

There are "sleeves" on 2 sides making the quilt ready to be easily hung.

There is more information to ask me for. This quilt is not perfect...almost perfect that I was counting as character. All quilts I sell are normally perfect, but this one was one that I had not planned on selling. When it is hung, I feel no imperfections are noticeable.

I was about to retire, my husband and I were going to move, and then everything changed. This unbelievably exquisite H block log cabin quilt with a miniature piano key border was chosen by me for another home. Our home that we have lived in for 26 years was built in 1748; therefore there are few places to hang a larger quilt and therefore is now for sale. I was not sure how I would hang this quilt, so I had sleeves installed on all four sides.

We have here 182... 5" blocks. The quilts piecing is 14 blocks by 13 blocks. The piano key border is composed of hundreds of "keys" measuring 3/4" X 2-1/4"...There is 1/8 inch hand separately applied binding. All bars comprising the logs in the Log Cabin pattern are 1/2 inch in width. The lengths vary from 1" to 5"..The black silk velvet chimneys measure 1" by 1-1/4 ".. There is an exquisite, much earlier plaid backing in a Bars pattern believed to be c.1840's

Yes, I think this is one of the most wonderful silk Log Cabin quilts I have ever seen.

This quilt tells us it comes from an affluent family. Silks and silk velvets were very expensive in the first three quarters of the 19th century. The creator had the skills and the free time to indulge in her love of creativity and quilting. Furthermore the backing would have initially made another quilt; instead this very very expensive fabric was used as the backing. Silk quilts were always made to be used as Sunday best, decorative embellishments and as a mark of excellence... not for daily use on a bed.

This absolutely exquisite log cabin quilt is ready to be shipped free of charge...Please ask me for more information.

This mostly silk velvet crazy quilt was created in the 1880s. It was made from nine 17" square blocks and three 10" X 17" blocks. There is an outside 4" border of silk velvet with the edge turned over 1/4" with a hand stitched finishing. There is some wear on the edge of the silk velvet which makes me think someone used it..., or that it was folded and somehow became worn on the edge.

The body of the quilt is perfect, with a minimal amount of restoration done by us. There are six Kate Greenway embroidered pieces, and also a backwards S and a cross. The Kate Greenways are absolutely adorable. Most of this crazy quilt is simple, without a lot of embellishment. The embellishing stitches are of varied colors. The colors of this quilt are warm and pleasant. Due to the wear on the corners, I am pricing this quilt at $1900.

What a wonderful piece of textile art for your home. I am happy to send this quilt, with free shipping, for your in home inspection and approval.

Sophisticated, mint condition and oh, so graphic! This only begins to describe this amazing textile. Created in the early 1860's from very lush solid color silks and probably from a very affluent family. How do we know this? Silks at that time were very costly and were the mark of affluence for women of that era. In addition a woman needed the free time to work on such an extravagant item.

This stunning quilt that measures 80" X 80" is made up of 36 14" blocks created from 3/4" logs. The silk fabrics actually pulsate. The colors range from a rich deep blue to a light beige. There may be as many as 20 different silk colors in this quilt. The backing of this quilt is a very beautiful calico printed beige ...also silk, fabric. Can you imagine the affluence to be able to back your quilt in silk!? Piecing of this quilt was executed by hand. This quilter definitely had a maid doing the dishes!

No picture will do this quilt justice...must be seen to be appreciated..I am happy to send, for your approval, with free shipping. After 160 years and now ready for its new home.

The patience and creativity that many Victorian women had in the designing and execution of these artistic masterpieces is truly amazing. This is the first Victorian crazy quilt I've seen over 35 years that is in absolutely perfect condition.

Not only is this an exquisite Crazy Quilt but the composition differs from any I have ever seen. When first looking at this quilt you see several strips that were individually designed, sewn and embellished. These 9 1/2" strips were sewn together, then the edges were exquisitily embellished. Upon closer examination, the construction of these strips was more complicated. Each panel was made from a series of large dimamonds that are slightly tilted! They are not only so artistically creative but the embellishments captivate our eyes. In the main body of the quilt we have some amazing hand embroidery with silk thread and silk ribbons. The silk pieces are filled with flora and fauna: birds, staffs of wheat (the symbol of life), butterflies, even including an embroidered cartoon. Another design element setting this quilt above others is the outside perimeter of a 5-1/2" ice cream cone border. Each "cone" is embroidered with an animal or flower, then each of those pieces are outline embellished. I have seen thes quilts edged with lace trim...however, in this case, exquisite hand made lace is sewn behind the ice cream cone border. The effect is captivating. The designer only allows one to see the lace slightly between the sides of the cones and a half inch beyond the top of each cone. Here we have a crazy quilt that I believe one could never get tired of admiring.

All design elements are perfect. The miniature embroidery is outstanding and the condition is absolutely perfect. Backed with a goldish-brown cotton, reverse tied with each tie covered with little bows.

This amazing textile comes directly from the family, from Hudson, Mass. The name of the creator will be given upon sale of this quilt.

This is one of those quilts where I feel a photograph comes nowhere near doing it justice.

This amazing quilt is ready to be sent with free shipping for your approval.

This quilt is currently featured in the exhibition Cut and Paste: 400 Years of Collage held at The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, Scotland, from June 29 to October 27, 2019. It may be seen on page 21 in their book Cut and Paste: 400 Years of Collage, published by the National Galleries Scotland.

Many Victorian women were resourceful, creative and loved embellishing. In the homes of today, when we have stopped embellishing, Victorian women have just begun...I like to say that these women embellished the embellishment. However, in addition Victorian women loved to be creative and excelled in needlework of all kinds. As a trendy habit most Victorian men smoked cigars. These cigars, in clusters, were wrapped in beautiful silk ribbons denoting the manufacturer. This advertiser design resulted in exquisite silk ribbons waiting to be creatively assembled in a piece of textile art. This Massachusetts woman, whose husband may have attended Harvard, has taken the silk cigar bands and created a version of the log cabin completely from these ribbons. The reason why I date this mid 1880’s is because of the vibrant colors. Later, the colors (mostly blue, orange and red) faded more easily due to a change in dyeing techniques. These miniature quiltx are rare not only because of their scarcity, but because of the rarity of the colors and the manufacturers, notably Harvard. There are numerous ribbons from Massachusetts companies and over a dozen crimson Harvard University ribbons. One ribbon includes a patriotic golden American eagle holding an arrow. What an amazing piece of textile art for your home or office. In perfect original condition and ready to be sent for your approval.

To Victorian women, embellishment of one's home was the design of the day. They prized their handwork and found endless ways to decorate their homes. This wonderful table runner was created with miniature log cabin blocks that are 3" square with the balance of the runner composed mostly of 2" squares. All of these squares are embellished with white and blue silk and cotton twists. Even though this table runner is not in perfect condition, it is still a gorgeous finishing touch to one's table.

This very sophisticated Victorian crazy quilt was exquisitely created using a deep red silk velvet fabric as a rare or totally original design element. There is a 14-1/2 inch deep red silk velvet sash going from the top left corner to the bottom right corner. Joining the goldenrod embellished sash is 7 inches of the same deep red silk velvet giving us a dramatic border.

Also totally unusual are the two triangular Crazy Quilt sections each measuring 50 X 36 X 36 inches which were created by the diagonal sash. These are comprised of 9 inch silk blocks all heavily embellished with oil paintings, lace, ribbons, gold metallic threads, trims, the initial H, the crane and more. The crane is the Japanese symbol of long life. There are ribbons..one is of a thoroughbred with a woman lovingly feeding her pet while being adoringly watched by her two dogs.

Each silk Crazy Quilt piece has the circumference embellished as well as so much of the interior. The backing is a burgundy color silk with colorful pompoms adorning the reverse ties of this quilt. To me this embellishment shows the pride the artist took in her masterpiece as this extra was usually not seen by others.

Studying quilts is also a study of sociology. The expensive fabrics along with an expensive fabric for the backing tells me that this amazing quilt was created by a member of an affluent family.

This museum quality Victorian Crazy Quilt is ready to be sent, with free shipping, for your in home approval.

This log cabin variation silk miniature quilt is a diminutive size of 21 X 21 inches plus sides of 1 inch prairie points. Originally made for a pillow, luckily this was never used. We have a wonderfully graphic little quilt, a perfect size for a small space. Created c.1888 and made up of twenty five 4 inch blocks. The colors are bold and graphic and enjoyable to look at. The construction of the quilt is completely original. The only thing we have done is to add cotton batting inside to give it the substance needed to become a wall hanging.
This miniature silk piece is ready to be sent for your approval.

What a wonderful piece of textile art, in perfect condition, is this center medallion Victorian silk cigar ribbon quilt. Created in Massachusetts, each ribbon is highlighted with the name of the cigar manufacturer. We have Bostonia, Harvard, the Jefferson, Boston Arion, Winthrop Pony, and many more. This little quilt will appeal to collectors of many genre including Massachusetts memorabilia, cigar memorabilia, Victorian silk memorabilia, and those who want a wonderful miniature quilt as a piece of art. Silk quilts were never made to be used; Victorian women created them as embellishments for their homes.

During the 1880s most men smoked cigars. At that time clusters of cigars came wrapped in silk ribbons highlighted with the name of the cigar factory. The primary colors of these ribbons were orange, yellow, and white. As these ribbons were in long strips they were the perfect configuration to create log cabin patterns. This little quilt is a step above for two reasons: one, it is finished with a 3 inch brown velvet border and two, it has as a focal point center medallion design. The backing is an 1870's black and white stripe/calico.

This little quilt is in perfect condition, and ready to be hung in your home or used as a decorative centerpiece for your table. I am happy to send this quilt on approval.

WOW! This quilt is so graphically exquisite...classy, sophisticated and just captivating.....Yes, I am totally enthralled with his quilt. It is so difficult to find a quilt with gray and black as prominent colors. In addition this quilt has over a dozen prominent gray silk velvet chimneys....again something I have never seen in these past 35 years.

Constructed with 3/4" logs creating an 8" block with 2-1/2"chimneys. There is a 4" border constructed from four 1" strips...alternating a rich brown with a gorgeous stripe on the diagonal -- a border I have never seen before. The outside 1" brown in the border is turned over front to back and hand closed as a binding. All work appears to have been done by hand. The backing is a beautiful paisley. The fabrics are wool, wool challis and silk velvet.

The pattern: Barn Raising Log Cabin, is well known. However, this quilter appears to have been a graphic artist even though she would not have had any formal schooling in this subject as would have not been realized by women of that era.

What a fabulous piece of art for one special wall. Ready to be sent with free shipping for your approval.

This original design optical illusion Pineapple Log Cabin, with a crazy quilt border, dates from c.1880. A Pineapple or Windmill Log Cabin quilt shows motion and this quilt carries it to an extreme due to the placement of colors. The effect is also due to the huge contrast between the black and deep red in the center of the spokes and the windmill spokes themselves. Normally all of the 10 centers of the Log Cabin blocks would be red chimneys. In this case many of the centers of the pinwheels are actually miniature Crazy Quilts.
The blocks measure 11-3/4 inches square, the border 5-1/4 inches in width. The center chimneys, which in this case are mostly miniature Crazy Quilts, measure 4 inches square. The edge is finished with a black silk binding.
This Quilt is in amazing condition and would make one of the most beautiful artistic wall hangings. Please call or email for more information.

This log cabin variation silk miniature quilt is a diminutive size of 21 X 21 inches plus sides of 1 inch prairie points. Originally made for a pillow, luckily this was never used. We have a wonderfully graphic little quilt, a perfect size for a small space. Created c.1888 and made up of twenty five 4 inch blocks. The colors are bold and graphic and enjoyable to look at. The construction of the quilt is completely original. The only thing we have done is to add cotton batting inside to give it the substance needed to become a wall hanging.
This miniature silk piece is ready to be sent for your approval.

This original design optical illusion Pineapple Log Cabin, with a crazy quilt border, dates from c.1880. A Pineapple or Windmill Log Cabin quilt shows motion and this quilt carries it to an extreme due to the placement of colors. The effect is also due to the huge contrast between the black and deep red in the center of the spokes and the windmill spokes themselves. Normally all of the 10 centers of the Log Cabin blocks would be red chimneys. In this case many of the centers of the pinwheels are actually miniature Crazy Quilts.
The blocks measure 11-3/4 inches square, the border 5-1/4 inches in width. The center chimneys, which in this case are mostly miniature Crazy Quilts, measure 4 inches square. The edge is finished with a black silk binding.
This Quilt is in amazing condition and would make one of the most beautiful artistic wall hangings. Please call or email for more information.

This silk velvet log cabin has a specific way to hang because the top of the quilt is without a border. I’m assuming they wanted that to be at the head of the bed. In mint condition, this exquisite quilt has a 4” golden silk velvet border that has been turned back to make a pillowcase edge.

The piecing was done with 1/2" logs and a 1" center chimney. Completely pieced by hand, these diminutive pieces create an exquisite outcome. Created over 150 years ago, it is ironic that these are all today’s colors. The backing is 19th century dress lining. This extraordinary textile will make a perfect focal point for your living room or great room. Silk fabrics will pulsate when properly lit, almost taking on another dimension. This quilt already has sleeves sewn on the back in case you would like to hang it as art on a wall.

Silks and silk velvets were the fabrics of well to do families prior to the 1890’s. This Victorian crazy quilt, having been made in the 1880’s is comprised of wonderfully made silks and silk velvets. The mark of excellence for a v c q is 100 different stitches This quilt not only reaches this, but surpasses the level of embellishment. These quilts were created using the block formation. Created with apx 10 1/2” blocks, the edge of each block being embellished with various stitches. My feeling is that this quilt was made near the ocean as it was embellished with anchors and fish. Other Victorian symbols used include Japanese fans, as a symbol of the origin of these quilts, owls for their wisdom and of course beautifully painted oil and adorned flowers. The silk velvet border appears to have been used prior to the edging of this quilt. Because of its size, this is a wonderful quilt to hang in the home.

This wall hanging was created in New England as an ornamental piece for the home and comes complete with the original diminutive hanging hardware. A radiating center star is very difficult to piece. We know a few things about the woman who made this piece. She was affluent, very talented and had a tremendous amount of patience. All hand pieced and hand embellished, this exquisite little quilt can be hung (in either direction) or be placed on a tabletop. All original and in perfect condition.

All silk and silk velvet, this exquisite work includes ribbon work, embroidery, silk chenille and hand paintings. The 2.5" attached hand crocheted lace border can be removed if you choose to do so. This is a complete original miniature quilt, not a fragment.

A fabulous concoction in jewel toned silks, this antique Crazy Quilt shimmers beautifully in the light. A myriad of silks, mostly solids with some intriguing stripes added for special interest, vary in size from 2 inches to 12 in a variety of geometric shapes. The viewer’s eye is truly focused on the gorgeous array of color and form due to the use of herringbone seam embellishment only. The expanse of solid and striped silks becomes, like pieces in a stained glass window, the focal point of this lovely work of art.

Surrounding the inner design is a 1 1/2 inch wide brick border comprised of various silks used in the interior design forming a lovely frame. The inner seam is embellished with embroidered silk stars. A 1/4 inch hand applied wine silk binding finishes the edge. The backing on this quilt is a medium blue cotton twill.

A lovely silk Crazy Quilt in a perfect size for a wall hanging in that special room. Please ask Betsey for more details and to see this quilt on approval in your home.

A lovely example of the Victorian Silk Crazy Quilt whose design is reminiscent of a stained glass window. Each block, or window pane, measures approximately 9 ¼” x 9 ¼” and is filled with solid and patterned silks and silk velvets in clear, bright colors. Finely executed embellishment stitching in various hues of silk floss cover every seam in every possible variation of stitch design. Interior embellishment designs include rings, floral patterns, chains, fruits, and the initial “L” - we presume for the maker.

This lovely quilt is designed in a 6 x 6 array of window panes which gives a nice sense of order within the crazy cutting of the silks. Framing the interior design is a lush, burgundy silk velvet border 3 ½” wide. The backing is a stunning quilted burgundy silk which is pillowcase edged by hand to the front design for an elegant finish. A beautiful, silk velvet creation that would be gorgeous as artwork on a wall or as an accent piece in any room. Remember, our quilts are always sent on approval.

A gorgeous silk velvet crazy quilt in excellent condition! Both soft and warm, with an amazingly sophisticated feel, this Victorian quilt has a wonderful mix of jewel toned silk velvets which are completely hand embellished in a variation of the double coral stitch using silk floss, and top tied with multi colored silk and cotton flosses. Four main blocks filled with pieces ranging from a tiny ½ x 1 to 13 x 3 inches fill the center of the quilt. Surrounding this is a crazy pieced border approximately 7 inches wide.

The backing is a cozy flannel windowpane plaid in brown, green, blue and yellow. The applied 3/8” binding is a soft blue with red stripes cotton flannel. This beautiful and very elegant piece of textile art would add a touch of warmth and vitality to any room in your home. Remember, our quilts are always sent on approval. This quilt already has sleeves sewn on the back in case you would like to hang it as art on a wall.

Nothing sparkles light like silk, and this beautiful quilt would be a truly stunning piece of art for your wall or bed. In unused condition, a wide variety of silks in blues, fuschia, browns and black stripes, checks, plaids, solids, and solid failles have been hand pieced into a center medallion mosaic configuration. Each hexagon measures 1 ¾ inches across, and has been hand outline quilted. The 3 ¾ inch border is a rich green and black plaid reminiscent of a Scottish Black Watch tartan, and has been quilted with a diagonal basket weave motif. The separately applied black wool challis binding is a ½ inch wide, and the backing is a lovely olive brown and rose leaf print silk. A quilt such as this one was a mark of excellence for a woman of affluence, as only a very prosperous family could afford such fabrics. What an amazing piece of art! Please ask Betsey for more information.

This is a great little piece of Victorian decoration! A single fan block created entirely from perfectly coordinated silk and silk velvet, and embellished with pale shades of silk twist. Bound with black same date silk, and backed with a lovely floral cotton print, this quilt fragment is in pristine condition and ready for your home!