Delightful antique crib quilt featuring a charming little bird perched on a flower stem. **Quilt history lesson time: curious about the circular dots/holes on his body and eye? Those are commonly seen on turkey red prints from 1840- 60s and usually on design motifs with some black. You'll note the bit of black in the remainder of the circular design on the bird and more clearly on the flower in photo 2. The damage is caused by bleaching the red so that a pattern would show up or due to caustic chemicals related to the design (either the dye or mordant). Mordant is the chemical that makes the dye bond with the fabric.
The flower he's on - there's his beak peeking at the lower left. And note the damage and the black showing on the motifs that haven't disappeared so far.
And here is the full crib quilt with the center bird/flower medallion surrounded by 4 flowers and then a great border of staghorn fern feathers or some such creature.
I have to say, I would have had a hard time putting that quilt in a crib, if I had made it! That appliqued border looks like no simple task!
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