Table of contents for Linens, Lace & Monograms 2017 in Victoria

L inens are ubiquitous in most every home. Consider the well-stocked closet, with its stacks of sheets and towels resting on shelves, or the linen press, a stately furniture piece with ample space for all the accoutrements of a household’s bedding and bath. Although these practical goods can be utilitarian, even spare, there is a category of lovely and elegant linens that are functional while showcasing graceful needlework. These impressive pieces often come from earlier times, before the advent of mass-produced home necessities. Whether inherited from a female ancestor or collected from shops specializing in antique textiles, the worth of these linens rests in the strong fibers used to create them, as well as in their embellishments. With this volume of our Victoria Classics series, we present a showcase of…

Luxurious Linen Vintage linens enrich the look of a room—especially when chosen with an eye for meticulous handwork. Beyond a fundamental recognition of the physical beauty of these objects, many collectors become equally fascinated by the human connection they provide. For Martha Lauren, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, stitches plied long ago link past, present, and future. The purveyor of antique linens inherited esteem for fine needlework from the matriarchs of her family. “My mother sewed baby dresses for a shop in New England, and my grandmother was an excellent seamstress, also,” she says. “I was raised with handmade linens.” Admiration for the artfulness of interlocking monograms sparked Martha’s personal quest for heirloom textiles, such as tea towels, handkerchiefs, and other sundries. Of particular interest are rectangular damask napkins customary…

Pat Kerr, the celebrated Memphis designer of fairy-tale wedding gowns, was a collector of lace long before it became an influence on her work. “When I was nineteen, I went to the Orient and was quite taken by the exquisite embroidery with fine handmade lace,” she recalls. “With no forethought of building a collection, I shipped all my own clothes home in boxes and filled my suitcases with gorgeous embroideries.” As a young girl growing up in rural Tennessee, Pat often silently observed as her mother and her aunt worked on quilts, tatting, and embroideries to grace their homes. As she absorbed the techniques they employed, Pat began to understand the rhythm of the needle and the resulting lovely handiwork their efforts produced. “I grew up surrounded by beautiful things…

The French word trousseau derives from the verb trousser, which means “to wrap up in a package.” The size of this marital parcel was commensurate with the family’s wealth. For aristocratic families, dowries were legendary. Portuguese Princess Catherine of Braganza offered the cities of Bombay and Tangier as part of her trousseau. For French families, this cache included beloved linens. Certain among these were already heirlooms, given that household linens occupied a significant portion of a family’s wealth at the time. The textiles were carefully preserved and passed through the generations. M ost items, however, were newly created and embellished by the bride-to-be, who spent many years sewing and embroidering in anticipation of her life as a married woman. The trousseau represented all the linens a woman’s future family would…

ENJOY YOUR LINENS. Frequent use extends life, so linens need not be held in reserve for fear that service will diminish quality or value. Stashing them in cupboards indefinitely causes fold lines to create stress on the fibers and promotes damage. Most textiles actually fare better when used and laundered regularly, so let them breathe, and appreciate the pleasure they bring. MANAGE STAINS PROMPTLY. The gracious hostess does not fret when spills soil her table linens. To avoid disturbing the meal further, without a lapse in conversation she quickly dabs the affected portion with a cold, wet cloth; rubs a sprinkling of table salt over the blemish; and covers it with a napkin. After a dinner party, all linens should soak in an ice-water bath for a few hours or…

“HOME IS A PLACE NOT ONLY OF STRONG AFFECTIONS, BUT OF ENTIRE UNRESERVE; IT IS LIFE’S UNDRESS REHEARSAL, ITS BACKROOM, ITS DRESSING ROOM.” —Harriet Beecher Stowe Lavish textiles contribute the finishing touch of softness to our bedrooms and baths—mingling favorite hues and soothing textures to bring about the relaxation we crave.…

Cultivating beautiful spaces comes so instinctively to Beth Claybourn that the Louisianabased interior designer could never imagine following a different career path. “You give a lot of yourself to clients,” she says of the forty years she has dedicated to transforming American residences. “But I can always look back and say, ‘This has been such a rewarding day.’” Beth endeavors to highlight each family’s style while leaving no trace of her own preferences. But Ma Maison—the Baton Rouge manor she shares with her husband, Garrett—bears the entrepreneur’s imprint throughout. Natural stone imported from Europe gives a sense of timelessness, and resplendent furnishings reveal the couple’s affinity for French antiques. Amid wooden pieces adorned with intricate carvings, inlays, or ormolu, whisper-soft linens serve as delicate counterpoints. Beth christened one of her…

Although the French have commonly used handkerchiefs since the sixteenth century, it was King Louis XIV who possessed the first collection of square hankies, initiating a trend. Later, Marie Antoinette shepherded this variation into the public eye, thus establishing it as a haute couture fashion accessory. In 1785, Louis XVI patented the royally approved shape and specific dimensions for all handkerchiefs produced in France. However absurd it might seem to pay so much attention to such a small piece of cloth, the handkerchief was the humble vehicle for some of the world’s most extraordinary lace and embroidery. In the midnineteenth century—which was the heyday of the French bourgeoisie and of the production of French handmade lace—it was not uncommon for a wellto- do young woman to have six dozen beautifully…

Below is a listing of products and companies featured in this issue. Items not listed are privately owned and are not for sale. Pricing and availability may vary. Page 2: Martha Pullen: C Vintage Royal Alphabet for 2013 Internet Embroidery Club, $69; 800-547-4176, embroidery.marthapullen.com. Anna Bove Embroidery: LTC Caroline Machine Embroidery Font, $29.90, BC Grape Vines Font for 5"x7" hoops, $29.90, AH-HA 2 Machine Embroidery 2-letter Monogram, $5.30, C Georgian Machine Embroidery Font, $29.90; annaboveembroidery.com. 8 Claws and a Paw: CBJ and YMK Embroidery Kyra Font, $2.95; 8clawsandapaw.com. Pages 3–4: Lenox: 5-Piece Place Setting in Lace Point, $129.95; from Replacements, Ltd., 800-737-5223, replacements.com. Page 8: Anna Bove Embroidery: HM-MH #1 Embroidery Monogram Design Font, D Grape Vines Font for 5"x7" hoops, $29.90; annaboveembroidery.com. Page 9: Pat Camp, Thompson House Antiques,…

When Pandora de Balthazár debuted her European Sleep System, the bed pillows did not fit standard American shams. An avid linen collector, she began selling antique pillow slips, thus introducing consumers to the quality and exquisite loveliness of textiles previously unavailable in this country. “Some people find us, attracted by the beauty,” the entrepreneur says. “Others understand our message of nurturing and seek me out.” Pandora de Balthazár, founder of the luxury bedding company that bears her name, has been known to linger for hours with guests who visit her retail space in Pensacola, Florida. In a role she describes as equal parts therapist and interior designer, the former financial planner now helps clients invest in their own well-being. With roots in Dalton, Georgia, which she calls the “textile capital…

From boasting of one’s position to declaring ownership of possessions, the use of scribed letters by the nobility and the wealthy dates back as early as the fourteenth century, when law prohibited the same privilege for the lower classes. Two hundred years passed before the general public could freely use the technique for identification. Most early markings were worked with needle and thread on fabric. In recent years, the skill required to create ornate padded letters by hand on bed linens, tablecloths, napkins, and garments has been mostly replaced by the convenience of sewing machines, which allow the quick embellishment of decorative items. “TAKE YOUR NEEDLE, MY CHILD, AND WORK AT YOUR PATTERN; IT WILL COME OUT A ROSE BY AND BY.” —Oliver Wendell Holmes A few guidelines simplify the…

Napkins did not emerge in polite society until the late fifteen hundreds. Until then, tablecloths had drops on the sides, often reaching to the floor. A lengthwise border on the edge—a longière—served as a built-in communal napkin. The first napkins, like the tablecloths they accompanied, were loomed of white linen damask. A convenience whose time had certainly arrived, the napkin almost instantly became de rigueur, and the practice of napkin-folding quickly evolved into a new and sophisticated art. The early eighteenth century, however, heralded the true revolution in French dining etiquette. Much in the spirit of traditional French gardens, the dinner table became a blueprint of precise and meticulous compartmentalization. A constellation of crystal glasses, plates, and cutlery clearly designated each guest’s place. Stringent rules were adopted for the orderly…