| Silk Antique Quilts |
| Click on the pictures below to see more views of my Silk Antique Quilts. Shading is due to lighting, not representative of the quilt. Please call for the availability or any questions. |
| About Silk Antique Quilts |
| Silk in the 19th century was strictly the fabric of the wealthy. Because silks of this era were manufactured for affluent buyers, they were of the highest quality and have retained their original strength, luster, brilliance, and condition today. 95% of the silk antique quilts that I have purchased for sale were made before 1890, and we do have silk antique quilts dating back to the 1840’s. Silk quilts were not made to be used, but to be displayed only as “Sunday best”. In the mid 19th century, two of the most popular silk quilt patterns were the Mosaic and the Log Cabin. As with any other quilt, condition, color, and graphics combine to make an original piece of art. After purchasing your antique silk quilt, we will be happy to assist you in proper hanging techniques. Hanging is recommended for silk quilts to take advantage of the stunning play of light reflecting from the surface of silks and silk velvets. |
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Please view the detail photos (click image above) for more accurate colors. Q8302 Victorian Crazy Quilt with Hand Painted American Flag c.1885 38 x 54 New England $3,900 The 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition was a big event in Victorian society. One of the most popular exhibits was the Japanese pavilion with its fascinating crazed ceramics and asymmetrical art. During the height of the Victorian era, homes could not have enough embellishment. Early quilts made in the crazy quilt style were show pieces, often made as lap robes or to decorate the parlor. The culture of the times was full of symbolism, poetry and romance. Crazy quilting allowed women to display their artistic abilities in needlework, oil painting, and arrangement of embellishments. Silks, silk velvets, wools and chenille fabrics, along with silk, cotton, wool and chenille threads of every color, were used to incorporate names, dates, pictures, and a wide assortment of symbols. Although crazy style quilts may appear haphazard they were carefully planned. This wonderful and patriotic Victorian crazy quilt is beautifully embellished with original oil paintings. Of primary importance is the American flag with 30 stars. Other oil paintings include a woman surrounded by daisies, a basket filled with flowers, a dog leaning over a fence, a log cabin, and a floral bouquet with "love" on the ribbon. The dense embroidered embellishment is in all different colors of cotton twist and fills the interiors of the silks as well as the seams. This exquisite and diminutive crazy quilt is comprised of c.1850's - c.1880's silks. The quilt has a yellow backing and is reverse tied with ribbon bows. This work of art is in fabulous condition. All of our quilts can be sent to you on approval. |
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Please view the detail photos (click image above) for more accurate colors. Q8664 Silk Log Cabin Seven Sisters c.1885 57 x 62 Maine $8,900 This breathtaking silk quilt is truly a major art piece. Silks and silk ribbons rich with saturated color have been foundation pieced in a rare miniature Log Cabin Seven Sisters pattern. Each block is approximately 3 ½ inches in diameter and has been formed from logs measuring a mere ¼ to 3/8 of an inch wide. The variety of rich hues includes wine, burgundy, blue, rose, taupe, ivory, black and peach. Each tiny hearth hexagon ranges from only ½ to ¾ of an inch per side, in shades of taupe, ivory and black. One of the wonders of silk is the way it reflects light. The multitude of tiny pieces stitched in this diminutive Log Cabin Seven Sisters pattern pulsate with vibrant color. The quilt is backed with a large scale rose and cream floral print fabric and finished with an applied black silk ¼ inch binding. Our quilts are always sent on approval. Please ask Betsey for more details. |
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Please view the detail photos (click image above) for more accurate colors. Q1562 Crib Sized Cigar Silks Quilt with Silk Fringe c.1885 33 x 34 (including fringe) New England Price- $1,800 Cigars were the most popular tobacco product used in the 19th Century, with most households having at least one cigar smoker. They were sold bundled and in a box, with groups of six to eight cigars wrapped by a silk ribbon sporting the brand name and/or number printed on it, with multiple bundles per box. These ribbons served not only the practical purpose of packaging the cigars but also as a way to attract buyers to a specific brand. Women were encouraged through literature distributed by the tobacco companies to use them to make things for the home, including quilts, throws, pillows, table covers, purses and even curtains for windows and doors. Sheer elegance is highlighted in this lovely example of a cigar silks quilt by both the use of only certain silks and the artistry and skill that was used to complete it. Entirely constructed out of solid gold color silks, the central large square made from 17 ½ inch by ¾ inch wide silks are aligned perfectly and highlight the cigar maker’s number – maybe a favorite brand of the gentleman of the house? The precisely pieced 5 inch outer border of gold colored silks was constructed with mitered corners emphasized by the black and gold silk embellishment stitches - lovely. A gorgeous 2 ¾” knotted tobacco brown silk fringe provides a sophisticated and beautiful frame for this extraordinary textile from a bygone era. In excellent condition this piece is the perfect artistic wall hanging or table topper for your home or office. |
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Please view the detail photos (click image above) for more accurate colors. Q8650 Victorian Windowpane Crazy Quilt Dated Feb 5, 1888 54 x 62 Maine or New Hampshire $2800 An elegant Windowpane Crazy Quilt in excellent condition! Dated Feb 5, 1888 this sophisticated quilt has a gorgeous 1 ¼” black silk velvet sashing separating the 7 ½” crazy blocks that brings a sense of order and refinement to this piece. It is comprised entirely of silk and silk velvets in solids, taffetas, and sateens, with ribbons and brocades in multiple and intricate patterns. Lovely silk embellishments within each block and surrounding the windowpanes completes this special quilt. Gold silk pom-poms are used for the unique front ties and add a further bit of flair to this showy piece of textile art. A four inch black border in the same silk velvet as used for the sashing frames the multi paned “window” and a half inch ivory ribbed silk binding surrounds the whole. As you might expect in a piece of this quality, it has been backed with a stunning quilted celadon green silk fabric. This beautiful and very elegant piece of textile art would add a touch of warmth and vitality to any room in your home. Quilts are always sent on approval. |
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Please view the detail photos (click image above) for more accurate colors. Q6832 Silk Center Medallion Mosaic c.1855 66 x 80 Pennsylvania $2,900 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. |
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Please view the detail photos (click image above) for more accurate colors. Q8489 Signed and Dated Folk Art Crazy Quilt Dated 1934 80 x 80 Berks County, Pennsylvania $2,600 In unused condition, this lively folk art crazy quilt is a wonderful mix of silk and cotton velvets with a few corduroy fabrics thrown in for fun. Hand embellished with a wide variety of surface stitches in both cotton floss and Pearl cotton in a range of colors, some created by twisting multiple colors of floss together. This quilt holds the history of its origin through the many names chain stitched in cursive and capital block letters, along with the date of 1930. Mrs. Slick, Verna Hoover, Gertie Schnably, Rose Weaver…we can just imagine these friends! The backing is gold drapery fabric, and has been turned over to the front to form a ½ inch binding. Totally hand pieced and embellished, and tied with gold Pearl cotton. |
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Please view the detail photos (click image above) for more accurate colors. Q8189 Silk Velvet Bars 1885 44 x 60 Illinois $2,300 This is a very sumptuous quilt; created from plush, deep toned mauve, pink, green, blue, gold and black silk velvets. The way light plays across the surface of antique silk velvet is truly amazing, and next to impossible to convey through two dimensional photographs. In unused condition, this quilt has been foundation pieced by hand and reverse tied. The binding is gray silk velvet, and the backing is a lovely 1880’s mauve print. What a beautiful piece of art! |
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Please view the detail photos (click image above) for more accurate colors. Q8395 Broken Dishes Four Patch c. 1845 72 x 84 New England $2,800 A sumptuous quilt containing a glorious array of early 19th century silks from dresses, ascots, and vests. The 5 inch Broken Dishes blocks have been quilted in a diagonal pattern, and are joined by an unusual green and lavender striped silk, quilted with horizontal lines. The binding has been formed from ½ inch green silk ribbon, and the backing is a pale pink chintz. This quilt was definitely made by an affluent family, and the two cut-outs indicate it was meant to be used on a four poster bed. It would have been most unusual and extravagant to actually sleep under a silk quilt; we can assume this quilt would have only been displayed as a “Sunday best” piece. In unused condition, this quilt will give someone a wonderful opportunity to obtain an elegant piece of early American history! |
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Please view the detail photos (click image above) for more accurate colors. Fragment Victorian Pieced Fan c. 1880 11 x 11 1/4 northeast $150 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! |
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Please view the detail photos (click image above) for more accurate colors. Q8368 Silk Geometric Runner c. 1880 12 x 43 Kopak, NY $1,200 This fabulous silk table runner seems to have started out as an ambitious miniature log cabin creation with blue and cream double herringbone embellishment, but after only six little blocks, it turns into a more straightforward arrangement of squares with a majority of cream colored double herringbone. It certainly invites speculation on its construction, and adds to the fun of this fun and sophisticated piece. Plus who could resist stroking the ultra soft silk velvet dangles on the ends? This little quilt has been backed with a deep burnished gold silk backing. In completely original condition, this runner does have some minor water damage in a few of the middle squares, but will be inconspicuous when viewed as a table runner. Please ask Betsey for more information. |
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Please view the detail photos (click image above) for more accurate colors. Q8104-2 Silk Victorian Crazy Quilt c. 1887 54 x 62 New Hampshire SOLD This beautifully executed crazy quilt is signed “Carrie Longenhan” and is all original. It is comprised of silks in a full array of colors, and it has a burgundy flannel backing and a ½” blue ribbon binding. Most striking is the center medallion which shows a tree with butterflies. In excellent condition. |
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Rocky Mountain Quilts
Shop Hours |
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Payment Methods: Rocky Mountain Quilts gladly accepts cash, checks, Visa, Master Card and American Express. Bank wire transfers are an easy method of payment for both domestic and international sales. If you are traveling, we will be happy to ship your purchases via UPS or FedEx at your convenience. |
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| Contact Us | ||
| Telephone - for orders or questions - 1-800-762-5940 or 1-207-363-6800 Email - betsey@rockymountainquilts.com Shipping UPS/FedEx address - 130 York Street York Village, Maine 03909 |
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| Link To Top Of Quilts |