I knew that there was a problem sometimes at shows and when they were posted but hadn't heard about the museum. Sad-sad. Difficult to understand some peoples need. Jayne

It's sad. Makes you wonder what they do with them.

Buyers of antique quilts should be sure to search all the sites before they buy something. If they buy a stolen quilt, it goes back to the real owner if discovered and they lose their money. Better to be cautious.

I knew there was a site for lost and stolen quilts. I don't suppose they recover very many, but it highlights the need to keep your own quilts secure if you have to ship or store them.
I feel the woman whose historic quilts were stolen--shipped back in their trunk only held closed with twisty ties from a garbage bag!!! That's pretty outrageous.

I can't imagine how horrible it is to have some thing you've put that much blood, sweat, & tears into to be stolen or lost because of someone at the shipping co. being sloppy. So many shipping companies have some type of tracking number you can buy. Some of ya' all are headed to shows and retreats, I thought to remind you to keep you works close and be on alert for missing works. I wonder if you can sew some type of identifier tag into the quilt that can be tracked, like they do pets & livestock?

Sadly, they disappear from nursing homes all the time. Underneath the label I put on my father in laws quilt I wrote directly on to the backing "You stole this quilt from a dear man! Be ashamed!" That way, if they remove the label, at least I will have said what I wanted to say to them!

Quilterscache.com also has a registry of lost/stolen quilts.

Kate

Kate, I love that!! I hate that people would steal something like that from someone. It never occurred to me! But then, so I don't think like a criminal, so that makes sense.

I looked at just one site. 89 PAGES of missing/lost/stolen quilts. No way anybody could check thru all of that and remember if a quilt was on the list!

Many of them were lost in shipping which makes you want to make sure you take a pic for id purposes and that you adhere a shipping label to the quilt itself BEFORE you pack it up and ship it off any where.

Some were just stupid mistakes that could have been avoided if a little more care was taken.

Kate: My DGM had two lap robes disappear early on at the NH. One resurfaced 18 months later when another female resident passed. I love your idea.

Carol: I'm sorry if I left the impression that I thought any one should remember a list to watch for. I know different ones are in different areas and maybe one quilt off the list might catch someone's attention or jar a memory. also I would dearly hope none of you lose a work by some of those same distracted mistakes. The idea of a ID picture and the attached shipping label were excellent ideas. I had never thought of attaching a shipping label to the work itself. A Post Office tracking number is what I thought was a sure bet, but I like both of your safety measures.

These quilts and their rightful owners could also be small item on the prayer lists of those that pray. I know I would feel awful whether it was stolen, a distracted mistake on my part, or lost by a stranger.

I just made the post out of surprise at how big the problem was/is.

Rita Verroca does beautiful quilts that are entirely done by hand. She sends them out all the time to national and international shows. She says she's never lost a quilt BUT she says she NEVER identifies insurance or customs declarations or her packages as containing a quilt.