Think of it like art. Not all art is a good investment that will appreciate over time. In fact, most won't. The same is true of quilts. I would never advise anyone to invest $1,000 in a quilt these days, expecting it to appreciate. Chances are about 99+ out of 100 it will not appreciate.
Also, have you considered liquidity? Quilts are not exactly a liquid investment vehicle. It's *hard* to find a buyer for a quilt. At least with art there are art galleries that will handle the buying and selling of works of art. There is no equivalent of that for quilts, which means that there is a lot less buying and selling going on.
Is this quilt auction for rare vintage quilts? Or for newly made quilts? The quilts that you see on the road show are rare, unique, and in some way of historical value. You will not get that in a new $1,000 quilt purchased at a quilt auction. A vintage quilt of that price *may* appreciate in value over time, but then again it may not. Not all art appreciates over time.