AboutDARWIN D. BEARLEY Expertise I am considered by many to be an expert on AMERICAN ANTIQUE QUILTS.
My real expertise lies with ANTIQUE OHIO AMISH QUILTS.
I can help with all aspects of identification, dating, repair and cleaning. I also buy, and broker antique quilts.
Experience Over the past 30 odd years, I have bought and sold ANTIQUE QUILTS for a living. I also have a personal collection of Antique Ohio Amish Quilts.
I have sold to the Smithsonian, the LA County Museum of Art, the movie "What Lies Beneath" starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer and to Catherine Denuuve.
My Antique Ohio Amish Quilt Collection has been exhibited at The Museum of Our American Heritage, The Akron Art Institute, The Canton Art Museum, Wright State University and The Quilt National in Cincinnati, Ohio. They have also been exhibited in Germany and France and recently at the Quilt Expo in Houston, Texas. Many of the quilts have been published in various books, magazines and calendars. One was even pictured in National Geographic Magazine.
Recently a book on my collection was published by Bernina Sewing Machine Co. of Zurich entitled, "Antique Ohio Amish Quilts, The Darwin D. Bearley Collection"
Expert: DARWIN D. BEARLEY Date: 4/26/2004 Subject: trunk full of old quilt tops
Question My husband was given a cedar trunk that was full of quilt tops estimated to have been done in the early 1900's. He has had them for years and done nothing with them. Are the to old to finish or are they worth anything the way they are?
Answer There are a lot of collectors of quilt tops. Some finish them and many don't.
Some believe they shouldn't be finished but most agree that if they are to be finished, all fabric should be of the same period or be quality reproduction fabric that matches well with the old.
Yes, they have value as is. To get some idea of value, you can do a "completed auction search" on Ebay.
