19th Century Hand-forged Heart Quilting Clamp stacking rings I find this an exceptionally

I find this an exceptionally beautiful thing

though I'm picturing a sort of madeleine with the silhouette of a 'gator on top

seeming as if ready for a pretend picnic

Ruby glass ambrotypes are the exception

it was clearly never meant to be sewn further  closed

19th Century Hand-forged Heart Quilting Clamp stacking rings I find this an exceptionallyBefore the holidays I was up in Mid Coast Maine for a show and made a few other stops I purchased this and a couple of old handmade saws from a dealer who always has interesting things, and I'm pretty sure they all came from one tool collection as they all showed up together. (I resisted coming home with more. but never could I leave this one behind!) It is is an antique hand forged quilting clamp, which would I believe have been used on a quilting