I have a very old quilt. My grandmother had it but didn't make it and she isn't sure who did. She died last year at 101. Anyway, it has a cotton batting but it's so thin you wouldn't know it was in there. I had a woman at guild who dates and appraises quilts tell me there was no batting in it. I showed her it was where the fabric was coming apart and she was very surprised. She said it was pre-1900 but that's all she could tell me.