Buckeye Rose

I am confused? What exactly makes an Amish quilt worth more than one made by anyone else? Do you think they hand piece them?....they use treadle machines. Does a quilt that is handquilted have more value than one that has been beautifully and intricately machine quilted? Does a quilt that my great-grandmother made have less value than one made by the Amish? I live in the midst of the Amish and while I think that their way of life is very uncomplicated, I don't value their quilts over any other.

GrannieAnnie

If you want to see the value of many quilts, go to a consignment mall or a local auction. Around here, a "old" quilt can usually be purchased for a hundred or so

BellaBoo

If you prefer to know you have an original Amish made quilt then that's what you will be happier buying.

ckcowl

if it is well taken care of- stored properly- used gently- and saved for your grandkids/great grandkids they may have a real treasure- location matters, timing matters, the current market matters- just like with stocks- values go up & down- but any quilt- amish or not- if it is appealing, has excellent craftmanship, visual appeal, and a (timeless) design if cared for will at some point increase in value....if taken to the right place at the right time.
appraisals go up & down constantly- one quilt i have has been appraised 3 times- all 3 times the value has been very different than the time before- and started high-went way down- then bounced back up even higher====it all depends and doesn't really matter if it's Amish or any other style.

Monroe

Some purported Amish quilts are actually made by others in the community, including the Hmong immigrants. You can find information if you google Hmong quilts/quilting. So- if a quilt is purported to be Amish, don't be fooled by "Locally Made". I have a cousin who is Mennonite in PA. Not all Amish eschew electricity- it varies by community and their Bishops' edicts. As a financial investment- be aware that fabrics are fragile, can be damaged by dyes, touching, light and humidity. Conservation storage is crucial. Most quilts do not appreciate much in value, and appraisals are very subjective. So- buy what you enjoy but don't expect a return on your investment. Old/rare quilts do sometimes appreciate, but it's like investing in an oriental carpet. You need to be extremely knowledgeable, and they can be difficult to sell for what you hope to gain.

NanaCsews2

We watched a show awhile ago where there was a sewing machine set up. Looked all electrical to us. But may have been generator powered. Not sure if all quilts are sewn on treadles.
Here is one interesting site that answers a lot of questions: http://www.amishquilter.com/interest...mish-quilters/
Me, I would purchase an Amish quilt because of the history of their culture tied to it. They also shop in our stores and do support our communities with their hard-earned money just like the rest of us do, (they do pay taxes, except SS), so we don't hesitate to purchase the flowers, vegetables, and furniture from them. We have bought some of the most beautiful flower containers for very little from the Amish.

Jingle

I would not buy any quilt for an investment. I would only buy it if I really liked it and wanted it, about the way I am with most things.

snipforfun

I understand that some Amish are "outsourcing" quiltsto Hmongs for at least the piecing and maybe the quilting.

Pinkiris

There is a quilt and furniture auction run by the Amish community near where I live at least once a year. A couple of years ago, they started showing certificates of "authenticity" with quilts that are completely made by the Amish before the bidding started on thos quilts.. It was amazing how many quilts did NOT have the certificates.
I've recently heard of quilts that are pieced by the Amish and shipped to China for quilting!

LET THE BUYER BEWARE!!!

Wanabee Quiltin

I bought a quilt at a bargain price about 3 years ago. I had seen one exactly like it for sale much much more than what I bought mine for. In the 3 years since then, the price has dropped. This is not a good time to make money on a quilt. If you are very very young, then if you wait until you are old, then maybe. And that's a big maybe.