Vintage Dresden Quilt Find - Patience Does Indeed Pay Off

[Covet And Love It Vintage]

A while back I'd done considerable grousing in a blog about losing out on some vintage lace panels to an antique dealer while cruising my favorite thrifts. I thought I'd check back again since I'd halfheartedly sorted through the bins after she was done.

I mean, what the heck. Those bins are pretty doggone big and after sorting through one, the rest start to look like mountains of fabric, lol.
This time, I went and got a couple of those empty fabric carts on wheels from one of the boys in the back room and methodically pulled everything out of the bins and into the carts.
It's like spelunking. I don't thing anyone has ever been to the bottoms of those bins.
Well, after a lot of sweat equity, I finally made it to the bottom of the last one with nothing more exciting that a Pooh Bear
comforter and struck gold.
This old quilt was folded up at the bottom and it was probably a good thing. As fragile as it is, I can't begin to imagine everbody pulling and tugging on it as they foraged.
My first thought was to give it a good soaking with sodium carbonate since I've had good results using that method for soaking old quilts in the past. Then that little voice in the back of my head, said okay ol girl...not so fast. The more I studied the fabric, the more I get the feeling this quilt might be older than I originally thought.

The quilt is badly stained and needs some TLC that I'm more than willing to provide. I'm looking forward to restoring it.
I wanted to share the photos with my fellow moonies and get your feedback.

Fair warning.
I've included a shot of each of the plate squares to show the different fabrics.

Measurements are 64 x 76

Oh, and by the way....a little mental note to the lady who nabbed the lace panels: You have them with my blessings and thanks that you were only looking for lace that day.
I'll take the quilt :)

[Comycgyrl Collectibles]

I know absolutely nothing about fabric, but I can say this...WOW great find it is a very beautiful quilt and I will pass the pictures on to some friends who also repair old quilts and see if they have any idea what year the pieces can be. Good Luck and I hope you get the answers you need.

[MidcenturyMarilyn]

I really don't know, if it doesn't go in the washer, well... I might check out some quilt collectors sites, but I think your turn of the century guess could be right. Those collectors would surely know how to clean. I saw one once that the person took it home and washed it and found another quilt inside that was a couple hundred years old!

[Covet And Love It Vintage]

Wow! That was quick. Thanks guys :)
Any ideas on timeline? At first I thought 20s/30s because of the feedsack type floral prints on some of the plates, but after I got it home, spread it out and examinined it...the feel of the florals isn't like feedsack. What I'm pulling up on research is that the plaids, stripes, some of the solids and smaller prints may take it close to 1900 to teens. It's puzzling. It just doesn't 'feel' 30s. It was obviously made to be functional out of whatever fabric the quilter had. There is some fraying on the edges and small slits here and there. The ivory background fabric and backing is quite fragile. Would any of you attempt to soak? Fabric becomes even more fragile when wet.

[MidcenturyMarilyn]

Stains yes but the quilt appears in great shape! I am very jealous, and that is better than lace any day!

[mybookbarn]

From a fellow quilt lover...great find! Stains or no stains...such a beautiful quilt! I love the fabrics used. Congrats on your find!