Antique Hand-forged Iron Quilting Clamp with Folky Heart (One of Two More Just Found) large tramp art box The gold foil frame--embossed "Union"

The gold foil frame--embossed "Union" (with flags

approx 4 1/2" w

with the silver plate polishing up nicely

with very thick and saturated color

top (fifth) layer

Antique Hand-forged Iron Quilting Clamp with Folky Heart (One of Two More Just Found) large tramp art box The gold foil frame--embossed "Union"The 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