Antique Oak Leaf Quilt c.1890s – Hand Appliquéd Red & Green – 64” x 80”

This beautiful antique quilt, circa 1890s, features the classic Oak Leaf appliqué pattern, and comes from Pennsylvania. Each block is hand-appliquéd with green oak leaves and bold red curved motifs set against a white ground, all framed by a richly quilted green field. The green shows an uneven fading characteristic of "overdyed greens" from the era, since the green was achieved by dyeing the fabric yellow then dipping it in indigo. Over time one dye fades faster than the other, giving it that "teal leaning" aged hue. The Reds are Turkey Reds and have the saturated, colorfast quality typical of the late 19th Century.

A handwritten provenance note accompanies the quilt, indicating it came from a Mennonite family in Elkhart County, Indiana and dates to approximately 1895, which aligns with the materials, workmanship, and design.

The quilt is entirely hand pieced, hand appliquéd, and hand quilted, with dense feathered and vine quilting throughout the body and borders. The hand-quilting is the star of the show with lovely, finely done feathers along the border and echo-quilting in the oak leaf blocks, along with the flower petal patterns on the sashing.

The back is off-white cotton while the binding is red cotton that has been hand-stitched to both sides. The cotton batting is lightweight.

The quilt is in excellent antique condition with no issues noted.

Details:
• Pattern: Oak Leaf
• Date: circa 1890s
• Size: 64” x 80”
• Fabrics: Antique cottons
• Batting: Lightweight cotton
• Construction: Hand pieced, hand appliquéd, hand quilted

The quilt is from a smoke-free, pet-free home and is pictured on a queen-size bed.
HL0060