For a number of years, my wife owned a quilt store in Lancaster County. That, along with my connections in the antiques world, has prompted many an after-dinner conversation about who, how, and why to collect quilts and coverlets. I recall many years ago a magazine did a thoughtful look at what was hot and what was not in the antiques world. This was back in the 1980s, although I would say that the wisdom of the article is still true today. The author pointed people toward things like early English oak and American Empire as two styles in furniture where prices have remained the same since the 1920s. Similarly, the author noted that while most folk art was highly valued, particularly quilts, woven coverlets, were the real bargain. Today, I would still argue that coverlets are one of the best buys in the collecting world. They are beautiful and handmade and will not break the bank to acquire. While they are common enough to be found, it takes some real work to find examples in really good to great condition. You can collect examples from your home community and seek different patterns. If you are not committed to buying signed examples, the market is your pearl, as most examples bring much lower prices, even if more elaborate, than ones signed by the maker. Quilts are a market that to my mind swings with how America decorates. If we are in a nationally nostalgic mood, then quilts do really well. They conjure images of a grandma (or the more-often-than-not mythical quilting bee) making a quilt for a grandchild. The modernists in the 20th century loved quilts, particularly Amish examples, as they saw the use of big, bold geometric shapes as reflecting their aesthetic. Later on, the high prices for Baltimore album quilts on Antiques Roadshow drove all manner of patterned and figural quilts to crazy prices. Prices have moderated, but there are still trendy moments were quilts bring way more than they should. That being said, we went to an auction recently and acquired several wonderful quilts at really reasonable prices. The first and best was a crib quilt with a figural scene and fine quilting. The latter was what drove my wifes eye. Exquisite hand-done quilting is a mark of great quilt quality, and this example was a 10 out of 10. Add in the unusual subject matter of figures in a landscape, and it got even more interesting. The fabrics were datable and so we could put this in the 1920s. The price was well under $500 and in our minds a genuine bargain. Collecting textiles is great fun. It is the challenge of a hunt where your knowledge of materials, history and process (along with some genealogy) is important in separating the good from the great. Condition is the other key determinate in looking at textiles and one that has some rigid rules to follow. Some quilts and coverlets were stored away in dowry chests never to see the light of day and are thus in bright as new condition. Others were used and abused by families and pets and often are only fit for the rag box. And then there are the ones in the middle. These are tough to evaluate as some have faded colors but great quilting. Others are rare in pattern but poor in condition. Making a decision about what to buy becomes a very subjective matter. We purchased, at the same sale, an Amish quilt that had some condition issues, but it was very early for an Amish quilt and thus filled a gap in our collections. Born to collect should be the motto of Peter Seiberts family. Raised in central Pennsylvania, Seibert has been collecting and writing about antiques for more than three decades. By day, he is a museum director and has worked in Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Virginia and New Mexico. In addition, he advises and consults with auction houses throughout the mid-Atlantic region, particularly about American furniture and decorative arts. Seiberts writings include books on photography, American fraternal societies and paintings. He and his family are restoring a 1905 arts and crafts house filled with years worth of antique treasures found in shops and co-ops and at auctions.