Happy Wednesday, MuseumLers - The conservation professional organization, AIC, offers a free web-based referral service:

http://tinyurl.com/conservator-referrals

The referral service will allow you to locate a textile conservator in your geographic area.
 
As Barbara has pointed out, it doesn't sound like it is a woven coverlet. It is possible that the songbirds are from a set of iron-on transfers that were then embroidered. Other sets are the state birds or state flowers.

Please feel free to contact me off-list if you have further questions.
Regards, 
Meg  
.   _    _    _   _   _  ______    
Margaret E. Geiss-Mooney    
Textile/Costume Conservator &    
Collections Management Consultant     
[log in to unmask]

try the National Quilt Museum as a source of information
http://www.quiltmuseum.org/index.htm
Found by a web search using the terms
embroidered quilt museum
 
note -- this site will explain the definition of coverlet -- it is woven.
they might help too
http://www.coverletmuseum.org/
National Museum of the American coverlet
 
In a message dated 6/9/2010 11:30:16 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes:
Does anyone know or know of a museum professional that can provide information on how to conserve and display an  86'x92" 100 year old linen coverlet? This coverlet has all song birds in the U.S. embroided onto each square that makes up the coverlet.  How should it be displayed and what needs to be done to preserve its condition? Someone suggested using plexi, muslin hand stitched around each square archival backing to which the muslin could be stretched. Please let me know.

 

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