A thing of beauty

Several years ago I bought an antique quilt at a garage sale in the small town we lived in at the time.  It was really more of an estate sale as an elderly man had passed away and left a modest estate to the local senior's organization.  The seniors decided to have a garage sale at the gentleman's home.  He led a modest life and the senior's group was not out to make big money.  The small home was opened to the public and everything was up for sale.  There were not many people so I was free to poke around from room to room and down into the basement.  I found some nice bits of china and some odd bits of things.  I went down to the basement which was pretty musty and I found, in an old suitcase, a quilt.  I took it upstairs and asked the volunteers for the price.  The lady thought maybe a dollar.  And here it is.  Out for a bit of an airing on the clothesline.

Beautiful, yes?   I have had it put away for a bit and it was lovely to visit it again. It is completely hand sewn, hand appliqued and hand quilted.  Based on the pattern and the colour choices, we estimate that it is from the 1930s.  It is absolutely stunning.  There are 2 different colours of green used and I imagine it is because the quilter ran out of the one green and used another.  I also like to imagine that it was a wedding quilt.  And I hope that the quilt was treasured by the elderly gentlemen and his wife, as I treasure it now.  And I feel guilty for having only paid a dollar.