Sunday, October 7, 2012

The Rhode Island Connection

Wool quilt, c. 1800, Rhode Island
There are several good reasons why my aggressive style of bidding was on full display last night at the AQSG Seminar Auction in Lincoln, Nebraska. I got into a little bidding war with someone I couldn't see on the other side of the room. We were bidding on the Rhode Island quilts book. It's a rare book, very hard to find, and the limited copies currently available are in the $500 to $600 range. This book should really be in every serious quilt connoisseur's library.


The book is called "Down by the Old Mill Stream: Quilts in Rhode Island" and the bidding was spirited, but I just kept bidding 'til I won. The winning bid was $430 - a bargain! While the auction was going on, a lot including an original, signed Barbara Brackman Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilts came and went, but since the winning bidder already had a copy of the binder, she donated it back immediately and it was back on the auction block soon after. Again, I just kept bidding 'til I won. Winning bid: $100. By the way, I met Barbara yesterday for the first time. She is amazing.



The quilt pictured at top came from Rhode Island, and "Down by the Old Mill Stream" sheds a lot of light on the early quilting traditions in Rhode Island. I will certainly savor this book. Rhode Island has additional meaning to me because I attended Rhode Island School of Design for two years in 1984-1986. The quilt and the book remind me of that experience, living in Providence, a city full of wonderful old buildings and incredible artifacts. 
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7 comments:

  1. PatOctober 7, 2012 at 7:27 AM

    Congratulations on such an incredible auction win! This book has long been on my dream list - keep thinking a copy will show at some garage sale for 25 cents. But never take time to go to a garage sale:o)

    What a treasure !

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    1. Bill VolckeningOctober 7, 2012 at 12:06 PM

      Thank you. It was fun, and I'm so glad to have the book.

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  2. antique quilterOctober 7, 2012 at 10:54 AM

    wow maybe I should sell my copy of this book!
    Kathie

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    1. Bill VolckeningOctober 7, 2012 at 12:08 PM

      I've heard of copies going for $800 and over, but they've dropped a bit recently. My suggestion would be for you to sit down and open it up again - then you'll remember why you really want to keep it. ;)

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  3. AnonymousOctober 7, 2012 at 8:00 PM

    This book has been on my Wish List at Amazon for a long time and the only State Project book I don't have. There are currently 4 copies listed -- three used for $549, $649, and $721.49, and one new for $998.91, all + $3.99 shipping. The original price was $75 (according to Amazon) when it was published in June 2000 which makes these astronomical prices even more amazing. --Wilene Smith

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    1. Bill VolckeningOctober 7, 2012 at 8:45 PM

      It's been on my wish list, too - especially since I got that quilt! Given the very limited availability and the current prices, I was really happy with the price. Plus, the proceeds go to AQSG. It's a win-win!

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  4. YankeeQuilterOctober 9, 2012 at 8:17 AM

    I started bidding on this book then realized as the "Julliette" walked past me that I already had a copy! (really, I only had one glass of wine!) Then it was only you and a person at the table next to me bidding....so glad you got it!

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