About Quilt Appraisals: My Opinions

by Patricia L. Cummings

Frequently, I am contacted by someone who has an old quilt they would like to sell. Sometimes, I get the impression that the person thinks that I should tell them what the quilt is worth, AND offer to buy the quilt from them. Even if I were an appraiser, which I definitely am not, it would be entirely too immoral and unethical to both appraise a quilt and buy it from the same individual.

Request for Appraisal

Recently, I was contacted by a very nice man who shall remain nameless. He sent a few out-of-focus, poorly-lit photos of a Baltimore Album top that had been found in a bureau. He kept asking me what I thought it was worth - "ball park figure," you know. I refuse to answer such queries because 1) I will leave it to those who care about such efforts, and 2) I take an entirely different (aesthetic) view of what a quilt is "worth."

Important Factors

To me, any antique quilt has more historic value, if the name of the quilter is known, as well as something about her life. Condition of a quilt comes into the picture. Is the quilt fresh to the marketplace? Or, has it been "shopped around"? Has it come up for bid before at an auction, only to fall short of a minimum required bid? Is it a quilt, or just a quilt top? Has machine quilting, done by a contemporary long arm quilter, destroyed any potential antique value?

As you can see, there are many variables in appraising, one of which is the current state of pricing in any particular geographical area. A textile is not necessarily valuable just because it is old. A case in point is a small quilt top in a common pattern that has stains on it. In a shop, it was priced at $95. The price was the same when I saw it a year ago, but might have "moved" at a lower price.

Unique Qualities of a Quilt One Key to Value

Now, I can imagine a time when quilts were sold at a country auction, and since everyone made their own quilts, there was not much need of buying the work of someone else, and if they did like a quilt, they paid dirt cheap prices. Or, perhaps, the prices just seemed less expensive. With different economic times, there can be no direct comparisons.

Today, even "rags, or individual pre-used quilt blocks, no matter what condition, have an asking price that is too high for what they are, (again, my subjective opinion). Although, the market for old quilts on eBay, appears to reflect the "soft" market of the times.

Rare National Treasure

Not too long ago, an older man brought a "Chief's blanket" to the Antique Roadshow. He reported that Kit Carson had given this item as a gift to the foster father of his grandmother. After explaining that the blanket's linear stripes would identify it as a "Ute First Phase Wearing Blanket," Donald Ellis, the appraiser examining the blanket, said that it was one of the first of its kind made. In addition, it had been repaired with a distinctive "raveling bayetta" in the 1860s, was finely-woven of wool but felt like silk, and was in great condition.

He placed the value at between $350,000. - $500,000. and said that the blanket couldl be worth even more, were the Carson provenance to be proven within reasonable doubt. Since that segment aired, a television commercial was prepared that shows an old couple turning to gaze at each other, with stars in their eyes, while they look toward a similar blanket in their living room. Yes, some people have treasures of which they are unaware. In this case, I would wonder who, exactly, would have that kind of money or want the responsibility of collecting this treasure, other than a museum. Maybe there is more money "out there" than I realize.

Appraised Value = Anybody's Guess

For an appraiser or quilt historian, one reason to study old quilts and textiles is to know what you are seeing and what the item represents, in terms of its fabrics, and the times in which it was made. Making a pronouncement about the value of anything, including quilted textiles, is anybody's guess. The truth is this: The value of an item, monetarily, is only the amount anyone else will pay for it.

I could look at a quilt and say: "Oh, that is worth $5,000.!" Of course, if I saw one yesterday that was of the exact same condition, workmanship, provenance, age, etc., in the same town, that actually had sold for that same amount, then the assessment could be correct. The trouble with trying to appraise quilts is that no two are alike, unless they are a pair of twin size quilts, made by the same quiltmaker, perhaps.

Donation Value/ Insurance Value/ Market Value

To further cloud the issue of appraisals, one group of appraisers-in-training learns that there should be three different possible values for the same quilt: one value if the quilt will be donated, one value if an insurance company will be required to pay, should anything happen to the quilt, and another "market" value if the person is planning to sell the quilt. In actuality, the insurance value should be highest because the cost of a suitable replacement quilt must be located, and that replacement would come from a dealer, not a wholesaler.

All Appraisals Are Inherently Subjective

When we talk about appraisals, we have to consider the source. I'd be more likely to believe a person who is first, a quilt historian, and second, a dealer with knowledge of actual market prices.

Becoming an "official" appraiser costs money, as well as jumping through a lot of political hoops. Whether or not one makes the grade, or keeps the designation of "certified quilt appraiser," demands constant upgrades to education (i.e. payout of money for classes in the program), as well as continuing approval from the self-designated "powers that be."

Back to the Question Previously Touched Upon

The person who wanted to know about the value of the quilt top, finally wrote to tell me that previously, a certified appraiser had assessed the quilt top's value at more than $14,000. Seemingly, he was trying to verify that amount with me.

Prices

Do you realize that quilt appraisers now charge $45.-$50. per quilt to tell you what your quilt is presumed to be worth?

I have also heard stories about some unethical dealings. Never should an appraiser offer to buy a quilt he/she is appraising. Purposely low-balling an appraisal in order to take advantage of an elderly person is pretty raunchy, folks.

As For Me

As for me, please don't write to ask me what your quilt is worth in dollars. I don't know. I don't care. Money is fine, but it is not what quilting is all about ... for me.

If you make a quilt and want to have an appraisal of it to stroke your own ego, have the appraisal done, although you may be disappointed if it is less that you think it should be. Even if a newly-made art quilt sells at the appraised value, there is no telling what it will bring on a secondary market.

If you want to buy a quilt to enjoy, because you like it, buy whatever suits your fancy for your purposes, or the best you can afford. I don't expect to become an expert on appraised values, now or ever. The idea grates on my sensibilities and my sense of what is fair and just in the world.