Amelia Lauck’s quilt is exceptional because of its workmanship, beauty, and condition. The symmetrical design of the framed center-medallion consists of finely cutout printed cottons that have been appliquéd, or stitched in place. The precise piecing of the red-printed cottons in sawtooth patterns, the so-called Delectable Mountains, often seen on quilts produced in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. At some point in the quilt’s history, the outer border was removed and presumably used in the creation of at least one pillow cover, which survives with the quilt.

The quilting pattern consists of floral, feathers, grapes, and vine designs that have been given added dimension with cotton stuffing. Smaller one-fourth inch diagonal quilting lines create a puckered effect everywhere else on the quilt’s surface.

Born in Winchester, VA, in 1760, Amelia Heiskell Lauck lived her entire life there, marrying Peter Lauck in 1779. Peter and Amelia had eleven children, six of whom survived into adulthood. The quilt was created as a wedding gift for Amelia’s eighth child, Morgan Adolphus Lauck (1796–1826), and his bride, Ann Maria Ott, who married on May 26, 1824. The quilt is marked in backstitches with the inscription “A present by Amelia Lauck to her S.[son] & D.[daughter] Morg. & M. Lauck / made in 62nd year.”

The Lauck family is well documented in portraits and records. Portraits of various Lauck family members by Jacob Frymire and Charles Wilson Polk exist, one of which of Amelia by Frymire is in the MESDA collection (accession number 3406). It is unusual to have this much information on a single quilt maker and her family.