Pattern Name: Bear Paw
Age: 1880s-1910s
Quilting: utility stitching and fussy quilting in the blocks and borders - hand pieced and hand quilted
Material: BEAUTIFUL indigo (many different varieties) and cinnamon red dyed calico with beige shirting fabrics; homespun natural cotton ticking backing 
Measurements: 80x68
 
Heritage: This quilt was found in Alabama.  This is such a unique quilt!  I have never seen such a wide range of indigo-dyed calicos.  The variety suggests the use of different mordants in the dyeing process.  There is a wealth of dye history in this quilt!  The quilt features a lovely red binding and rounded corners.  The quilting is also quite lovely.  This was definitely a quilt I considered making into a coat as there are some issues at one edge, but something about it suggested that it needed to stay together.  Maybe its the variety of indigos, or the pale blue, but they are absolutely wonderful!  This quilt has a LOT of life remaining!  
 
Condition: Overall the piece is in good condition for its age.  There is some wear to the edging and to one side of the quilt (see the pictures).  The quilt itself is really strong and there is some fading throughout.  The top shows a few small stains and some fade in areas.  There is some fade to the beige calico, but this was more likely due to the unstable dye originally than anything else.  Overall, the quilt is strong, sturdy and really a stunner of a piece.  This would not be a quilt to wash, but to leave outside in the sun (under a clean white sheet) for a few warm, sunny days.  This is the traditional cleaning method for these types of quilts and would be appropriate here.