Antique Hand-forged Iron Quilting Clamp with Folky Heart (One of Two More Just Found) large tramp art box with the silver plate polishing

with the silver plate polishing up nicely

top (fifth) layer

approx 4 1/2" w

composed of richly colored cut cotton cloth and filled with dozens of little crocheted bits

Antique Hand-forged Iron Quilting Clamp with Folky Heart (One of Two More Just Found) large tramp art box with the silver plate polishingThe is a 19th century hand forged iron quilting clamp, with one of this sort often referred to as a "heart clamp" for the heart shaped finial on the screw. It would have been used for clamping the fabric layers of a quilt (top, batting, backing) to the rails of a frame while working it, sparing the quiltmaking from laborious pinning, etc. Once a month I go up to midcoast Maine for a show, and once a month, for a few months now, I bring home an old