Collecting Household Linens

By Frances Johnson

Book Overview

Perfect for the experienced collector as well as for the novice, this book covers all the details, beginning with the origins of handmade linens and encompassing afghans, altar cloths, curtains and shade pulls, and bedspreads; subjects which have not been covered before because they have only recently become very collectible. Centerpieces and doilies are probably the best known of household linens because so many were made through the years, and the author makes it easy to identify the many varieties. Other popular areas covered are decorator pillows, napkins, and napkin rings.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 076430111X
• ISBN13: 9780764301117
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Schiffer Publishing
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.7" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

Great resource on linens even for beginners

I would have given this book 5 stars if the chapters included some of the topics in the second book in the series. For example shade pulls are not something I see very often, nor are they a linen type that I'm specifically interested in, but they get a fair sized section dedicated to them. The research and data is excellent, although because of the size of the book I find it a bit more cumbersome to read. The pictures are fair as well and are not the highest "picture book" quality. They do however show the important details well and clearly and the variety of items shown is a great cross section of what the chapter talks about.Definately well worth the money for someone intersted in vintage linens with little or no background in them.

A valuable fun to read guide for the linen lover!

Frances Johnson not only gives you information on identifying your textiles, but she is a historian as well. The photos are well done, nicely displayed and present a clear image of the linens. Both beginning collectors and seasoned ones will enjoy this reference. Having collected for over thirty years, I was able to not only enjoy this reference, but learn from it as well. Although this is not a "coffee table book", it is packed with useful information, and is light enough to carry with you to auctions, shows etc. The tips on restoration and care are extremely good. The only drawback is that the prices quoted are somewhat on the low side. The reader should recognize that this is a guide. Overall, this is an excellent book to have in your collecting reference library.