I just went home to my mom and dad's for a visit, and my mom had a new quilt hanging on the wall. I asked where it came from, and she said she thought maybe my Great-grandmother made it, around the mid-fifties or earlier, maybe 40's. My mom got it when my great-uncle died (late 80's), and the quilts had been in the basement of his house for probably thirty years at that point. So anyone that knows anything about this particular quilt is likely dead, unless my grandmother remembers something. There were two other quilts and a top that my mom showed me that she got at the same time. The top is feedsack material, and looks to me like its from the 30's-40's or later. The other two quilts use white or solid colors.

But this quilt, I'm not sure it is from the 40's. I think it is older than that, but I'm not an expert. It is all small scale prints, and scrappy, as you can see. Some of the prints are double pinks, and some are indigos/white. I didn't have a good camera - these are cell phone pics, so I apologize that details are fuzzy.

Can anyone else give me guesses/information?

Those fabrics look really old to me!
I'd say late 1800's.
Wonderful!!!!!!!!!!

If there's a museum near you, perhaps you could get some ideas from them. And in return might talk your mom into lending it for display should they have a fabric section.

Well, I hadn't even thought of a museum. The ones really close are so small that I don't believe they'd have anyone who really knows about textiles - they're more just local history.

Check a local library to see if they have books on quilt history. You might find some of the fabrics in one.
I agree with Susan I think they may be late 1800's also.

[quote=sueisallaboutquilts]Those fabrics look really old to me!
I'd say late 1800's.
Wonderful!!!!!!!!!!

I agree about the possible date of the 1800's. The double pinks are a real give away for me. They are similar to the Civil war prints that are being used now.

I know the library I usually use does have books on quilt history - I read one some time ago, and that's why the term "double pink" lodged in my brain. But I won't be able to go for a couple of days to look.

Late 1800's? I wasn't thinking that old, I was just thinking, 1910 or so. But its just a hunch, based on vaguely remembered things I read in that library book.

Very nice

Very nice

Very nice

What a treasure !! You are a fortunate lady.

WOW that is gorgous!!!

Besides the double pinks and the indigos, there is one block (the black one in the third picture) a black on gray, that might be a half-mourning print.

For a cell phone, the pics are fine!!!

I think Butterflyblue is talking about her relatives in the 1900's????... that is 1950's or maybe earlier 1940's. Great uncle died in late 1980's... quilts in basement? didn't people put things in the attic in "olden" days???... feedsacks of this past century (mid 1900's)...remember this is the 21st century!!!!! Oh how time flies!

Even if the fabrics are from the 1800's (which I doubt) anything made newer is considered as of the date of completion or of the newest fabric used.

AND... those reds are quite red! Anything from the late 1800's or early 1900's when aniline dyes were used would have faded miserably by now with exposure to light.
Just my opinions.

The red is quite vivid. My mom THINKS my great-grandmother made the quilt, but it's just a quilt they found in the basement many years after she died. So it is possible it was a quilt made either early in her life, or that was passed down to her.

There is some mildew damage (from being stored in a basement by a bachelor uncle who didn't care about quilts at all) but overall the quilt is in pretty good condition. As you say, the colors are very vivid. It seems not to have been used much.

Well no matter how old it is it is just precious. I have an old family quilt, too, and no one can remember who made it--I think it was G'ma G. Thanks for sharing, G.