About the Textiles...

If you were asked to choose
the absolute best place to search for antique textiles, it might very well be right here where we live in Western Massachusetts. Antique textiles are not only abundant, but some of the best examples from 300 to 400 years back are available and acquirable in a variety of venues, from the most hidden tag sale to the most flamboyant upscale antique store to the best known flea market in the country, Brimfield. The reason is that textile manufacturing was the primary economic base here since before the Civil War. During the growth of the region, quite a few of the larger cities developed from early small milltowns where water power came from the many waterways that fed into the Connecticut River. The mills flourished for more than a century and a half. If you took a tour through the area, you would find the same waterways right in the centers of fairly large cities like Holyoke and Springfield as well as countless others, rivers and streams that are now visually interesting, but no longer functional economically in the same way.

Now most of the mills are closed
and many of the smaller towns they gave birth to are merely crossroads, giving what was produced so long ago a unique provenance. Mill owners and workers took unusual interest in textiles wherever they traveled and brought them back home to reproduce in the mills or to keep in their collections. Families passed their collections on but inevitably many have found their way to the antique marketplace. At every flea market, auction, and antique store, these generations-old prizes and surprises continue to become available. Nowhere will you find a more profound connection to the past than right here in the Connecticut River Valley of Western Massachusetts.

Please read on.
You will find a compendium of information about how to judge, choose, care for, and use antique linens and textiles, as well as some of the ways I have used them in my own home. Please feel free to email me with questions or just plain conversation.

On the personal side...

You can see the Connecticut River
from our Arts & Crafts bungalow style house, which is only about 600 feet to its east on a rise that never gets flooded, an important consideration near the river! The Pioneer Valley is a beautiful region, dominated by its landscape, its spectacular weather, and the five local institutions of higher learning, the University of Massachusetts, Smith, Amherst, and Hampshire Colleges, as well as Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, the first women's college in the country, attended briefly by Emily Dickinson whose homestead is a local landmark. Both Amherst and Northampton, where Smith College is located, are typical college towns only about 10 miles apart, but they are quite different from each other in character despite their collegiate similarities. Hadley, where we live, is the farming town that separates them, along with the Connecticut River that flows between them.

In addition to proximity to local flea markets and antique stores, we are just down the road from Old Deerfield, one of the oldest original Pioneer communities in New England. There, a huge new museum with a significant display of antique textiles provides visitors with a unique opportunity to see much that may not be available elsewhere, a glimpse into a past that has been carefully preserved. In the homes that are preserved and available for touring you can see just how the textiles were used and displayed, an invaluable lesson in the origins and purposes of antique pieces of all kinds.

I did mention the spectacular weather, didn't I?
"You don't like the weather? Well, wait a minute," is a familiar joke in these parts. You can see every storm and gale coming up the river from the southwest toward the house. It is more than spectacular, it is awe inspiring. Sunsets in the summer are unmatched as the sun goes down farther to the north, extending the soft colors across the whole visible length of the river. And in the winter, whitecaps and floes of ice, which depend on the capricious weather for their existence, bring a much appreciated drama to our little corner of the world.

As punctuation for our visual narrative, the sleepy progression of a hot air balloon occasionally greets us early on a softly lit Fall morning.

Many of the items I find are so perfect for my home that I can't seem to part with them, but I can't keep too many. One keeper is the three-part mirror that you can see in my pictures. It reflects what is on the ironstone platter in front of it and gives several views at once of some of my items. The mirror is made of old wavy glass and folds up neatly when I remove it to use the table for my Mah Jong afternoons. Recently I placed a rose-painted plate on the platter and it serves well for my smaller offerings, the little finials I am making from half-dolls, as well as laces, perfume bottles, and gift books to name a few.

Dolls have become a passion!

Perhaps it was meant to be -- perhaps the scarcity of larger dolls locally made room in my heart for the tiny half dolls that have captured it. It happened this way. On a recent foray I found a tiny broken half doll lying on the asphalt near my car. I picked it up and put it in my pocket. When I got home, one of my lamps had been blown down near an open window, its finial broken off the brass base it was on. I took that tiny broken doll out of my pocket, put it over the brass fitting, and a new creation was born. I haven't looked back. Nearly all my lamps now have little dolls atop them, lending an animation that simply thrills me. Lamp finials over the years have been sadly lacking in imagination, something you don't really notice until another alternative comes along.

It's not by accident that lamp finials have captured my interest because lamp shades are a special category of textile art. I have collected them for years. Antique and vintage lamp shades are often overlooked as collectibles but they represent a unique form of textile art with a wide variety of expressions. I collect and use them with great pleasure, occasionally offering one for sale. The softer light they create cannot be described or captured in a photo.

You will see examples
of the different things I find locally when you view my auctions, but the emphasis is always on textiles, which are dearest. I use antique hand made quilts and vintage lace-trimmed or embroidered cotton or linen sheets and cases on the beds, which have bedskirts made of lace tablecloths, homespun sheets, or bits of fabric that just make it with not an inch to spare. I hang interesting pieces on the walls, wind laces around lampshades or bedsteads, and use textiles instead of doors in our guest rooms to cover closet openings, and when some of the old pieces that come my way are too far gone to be salvaged in one piece, I recycle them.

Once in a while I find something special that I know would be appreciated by my ebay customers, but then when it sells I find I miss it, so I keep a picture. The silver plated tea and coffee serving set below is sorely missed.

After six years with beautiful white show towels at the windows for curtains, the dining room bay has a new collection of antique hand painted Paris porcelain plates above and benefits from valences I made from a pineapple design chambray cutter quilt trimmed with a collection of hand embroidered Victorian lace. You can't see them very well but the chairs have cushions covered in the same quilt fabric. This project was so successful it inspired a re-do of many other windows in the house and kept me busy for weeks! Luckily, every one was made from fabrics, trim, and laces I already had, some with absolutely no inches to spare. Collecting textiles you love can eventually come together in truly satisfying decorating projects, none of which was imagined beforehand.

I visit local auctions, antique stores and shows, flea markets, and private estates, both here in Western Massachusetts and throughout New England and sometimes Canada just to satisfy my curiosity and desire for the objects that tell the stories of people's lives -- the utility and beauty they couldn't live without. Because of ebay I can be much more adventurous in my purchases, knowing that what may not work out in my home may eventually work in yours.

So... thanks to ebay, and thanks to you!

When I first started selling on ebay quite a few years ago,
I decided to use the name River Valley Textiles because it didn't occur to me that the backlog of local textiles would ever run dry. But it is beginning to do just that. A mainstay auction house has recently closed, and three of my favorite sources have begun to withdraw from the marketplace due to retirement. The supply itself has also dwindled. Textiles require cleaning, mending, and protection from the elements, which is more attention than many dealers are willing to give. This gradual loss is sad. But when one door closes, another opens, as they say, and the market for fine lace, for example, is booming, still available at many sources, and a special category of textiles. Also I have necessarily widened my selection of goods.

Yes, lace is a special catetory.

I occasionally use an expert to help with identifications. Recently I sent her a collar to ID and she flashed back something I felt wasn't right. Picture me with my newly acquired 8x loupe, shaking my head and giving my eyes a rest now and then. So I sent her a couple more pictures (that may have been the problem) and she changed her evaluation. This can be unsettling, however, because one wants a definitive ID. Unfortunately identifying lace is like sorting out the grains in your morning granola. Not always easy, especially when time, like the milk in the bowl, changes the original configuration. When I am in real doubt if something is by hand or machine, I tend to think machine. The hand laces are loud and clear usually, but because there aren't as many of them around, we don't get enough examples to educate ourselves properly. And pictures in books or on screen are usually inadequate.

It's difficult to accept that my own studied appraisal of a piece of lace is wr-wr-wrong. The thing about lace is that (another one of my analogies) it's like blades of grass, or better, snowflakes, each one different. They all fall into their species categories, sometimes more than one, but human ingenuity is involved, making it much more difficult than a hard science to classify. Some lace maker (or machinist) gets inspired and all bets are off. How are we supposed to know what someone was thinking a hundred years ago as their fingers (or their now defunct machines) did the talking? Only with careful study. Even then, it's hard to be 100% sure of anything when it comes to a piece of lace, especially one with multiple techniques. You just do the best you can while your head spins.

The effort is worth it. Not many things are so intellectually challenging and at the same time beautiful, so endlessly esoteric and at the same time down to earth and practical. I think of scientists looking down their microscopes or interpreting their samples electronically and I believe studying lace is like that. It brings so many faculties into play, from simple observation, to research, to theorizing, to eliminating other possibilites, and finally, hopefully, to knowing. Despite the difficulty, it's a pursuit I have much affection for.

Many of River Valley Textile's buyers have asked for a bit of advice on buying and taking care of their antique linens. After all, if you can't maintain them easily, you might not want to undertake a collection.

Here are some simple guidelines on the choice and care of antique textiles...

Consider that for a piece of antique linen to have survived, two requirements must have been fulfilled. First, it had to be well-made, and second it had to be treated properly. Both conditions must be met and this applies to old linens that have never even been used -- unless they were properly stored, they would have been subjected to worse threats than if they had been properly used. And even under the best circumstances, linens do wear out no matter how carefully they were treated.

By the way, the chair above sits in a corner of the master bedroom being both useful and beautiful. It was hand creweled on a piece of antique homespun linen in the middle 1900s, and then upholstered to the chair. It is so thoroughly perfect that even the underside of the seat cushion is crewelled so the cushion can be turned over for added use. The fabric is handwoven and the stitches are very finely made, not at all like the chainstitched crewel you see in manufactured upholstery fabric, but as dainty and precise as an antique schoolgirl sampler. Its previous owner had a cat so a few of the threads have been dallied with, but when I get around to it, it will be an easy fix.

Are the linens fragile...?

The first criterion for purchasing a piece of antique or vintage linen is its basic condition. On Ebay you must rely on the seller's description, which should clarify the type of damage reported. Worn out items start to develop thin spots and tiny holes all over, not just in one place, so "a couple of pinholes" can mean that it's just the beginning of disintegration, or it can mean some trauma occurred to an otherwise good piece.

General care for vintage and antique linens always requires judgement. Some will do better if dry-cleaned, but all early textiles were made to be washed with soap and water. Therefore many utilitarian textiles can go right into the washing machine along with the rest of the wash. If not, we don't buy them for ourselves or for you since one important factor in using these textiles is durability and practicality. The more delicate items will have to be washed by hand, but can go in the dryer. Very delicate items, including laces, must also be dried outside the machine. Delicate articles are rarely washed in any case, but the decision to wash is always dependent on the piece itself.

Caring for textiles that you may put into storage, as opposed to everyday use, requires thinking ahead. One of the more challenging aspects of natural substances like wool, silk, or cotton is that they are prey to organisms which may like them as much as we do. Moth eggs and mites are often invisible and when you store the textiles you may not be able to avoid storing these pests with them. As well, you can't tell from merely looking at a textile whether weak spots are forming, something only time can reveal. The best you can do is to minimize deterioration during storage as follows. Before storing, all items should be carefully washed and fully dried. Remnants of food or any other natural substance attracts pests and moisture does the same. Articles should be inspected closely for flaws and mends made. If you don't mend, you will at least know before items go into storage what their condition is. Some collectors make a list and note flaws before storage. Some textile dealers put their goods into the freezer for a while to kill whatever creatures they can, some boil. Washing and pressing most textiles will do that job. Wrapping with acid-free papers can help by keeping contaminated items from touching, which can spread deteriorating influences, but in the end, no method is perfect. Storing textiles with moth balls, Lavender (along with any of the other herbs that are touted as preservatives), or cedar chips is also helpful, especially woolens. I prefer cedar-lined drawers along with additional cedar chips. I store some things in plastic zip bags with chips, pressing out as much air as possible. I have, however, found that despite all efforts, nature may prevail. Once a year all items should be taken out, aired, inspected, and returned to storage.

The signs to look for...

Choosing linens requires experience, but here are some of the things to consider: color, odor, crease lines, stains, decoration, edges, and mends. These must be inspected carefully for signs of damage and wear. It takes some time to learn the earmarks of poor storage and use, but it is worth the effort.

Color ~ Tanning, smudges, stains, and the like vary in their significance. Most marks can be removed but some will leave damage and these include stains that contained some harsh chemical substance, like iron (rust), leaving the fabric weak or damaged. Such damage can be repaired if it is not over the entire piece.

Odor ~ Too much moisture or too much dryness can lead to telltale odors that in turn indicate potential damage. Moisture often results in mildew, difficult to remove as well as damaging to fibers. Dryness results in brittleness of the fibers.

Creases ~ Too much starch in a fabric, once it is folded, can lead to breakage over time; so can repeated ironing with a crease in the same place, even without starch. Fingers can leave residues on fabrics that lead to damage over time.

Stains ~ There are many different injuries and insults that textiles must endure. Apart from spills, tears, deterioration and multiple pests, many textiles acquire dust and moisture, which together, is the cause of the tanning found on so many that are coming out of long (and inadequate) storage. Most marks, tanning, and stains can be removed with simple formulas and there are many. I use the simplest possible. Chlorine bleach, which has acquired a bad reputation that is ENTIRELY unjustified, works wonders quickly. As long as the water is only lukewarm and not hot, bleach will NOT damage or subsequently weaken fibers and can be used on many natural fibers without cause for concern. Opinions will differ significantly, but experience doesn't lie. Eventually just about all stains will go away with a variety of safe treatments outlined in many sources.

Note: marks that were originally caused by harsh substances will leave damage whatever you wash them with, some as soon as they hit plain water -- yes, this happens because water weakens the tensile strength of fibers all by itself -- and this type of damage cannot be avoided by changing your washing methods.

Decoration ~ See that all or most of the work is intact. Laces should be slightly stretched to test brittleness, something you can tell with your fingers or by smelling the article. Too much or too little moisture weakens fibers. Embroidery should be neat and without loose ends on the right side.

Edges ~ Often the selvedges and hems are incredibly good clues to the quality of a textile, whatever fiber is used. The type of hand sewing, construction, and hemming are a big help in dating a piece. Edges and folds that are exposed when a piece is stored should be as clean and intact as possible. The darkening of fabrics where they were exposed in storage is caused by a mixture of dust and moisture settling into the exposed area, and usually it washes right out unless substances in the dust were harsh or the moisture level was very high. The difference between serious hazards and simple soil can be hard knowledge to acquire, but eventually experience and experimentation provide a basis for sound judgement. The fabric pictured below is a one-yard decorator sample of a rare and exquisite Fortuny print that one of our local flea markets yielded, a stupendous piece of luck! See how beautifully preserved it is, and how the selvedges are just about perfect. This one yard sold for over $350.

Mends ~ A mended piece may still be valuable or appealing. Mends that have been done with care, that are neat and intact and not too extensive are acceptable and sometimes endearing. Mending was historically done on a regular basis and is a sign of care as well as judgement about the quality of a piece. It also prolonged the life of valuable textiles, even those that were used every day. The best form of mending is needle weaving and while painstaking, it can restore a piece to general use and beauty. A significant criterion for a good mend is the quality of the thread used, color-matched to the article, and of a weight that will blend. Not all mends have a successful result because much depends on the type of textile, the area to cover, and the amount of thread ends at the damaged area available to be incorporated. Mends will be present and are worth taking the trouble to learn about and understand; they are part of appreciating textiles in general.

The value of beauty...

Perhaps the most elusive characteristic governing the choice of linens is beauty. Even items that are very worn or damaged can be worth having if they are truly beautiful, an attribute that is sometimes more highly prized than utility. Having both, of course, is the goal, but the value that beauty adds to an article cannot be overestimated. Without it, we have the mundane, but with it we may attain the transcendent, something fervently believed during the Victorian era. A beautiful piece of antique linen is without parallel, unique. How beauty is judged is quite another matter, best left to philosophy and biology. But beauty will speak to everyone, not, perhaps, in exactly the same way, but it will speak -- and when it does, you can't help but listen.

Use and Display Your Beautiful Linens

Some ideas...

Laces and linens make beautiful displays. Owning a varied collection of textiles purchased primarily because you loved them will give you many to choose from. This is one place where collecting pays off.

When we moved into our newly built home a few years ago, unpacking was absolutely the best! We had paintings stacked against the walls waiting to go up, boxes of wrapped china waiting to be grouped, and most fun of all, textiles that were folded, cold from storage, waiting to warm themselves up and lend that warmth to the furniture and windows. What was absolutely surprising and later gratifying is that often the first placement was where they stayed, at least for a while!

Some movement, however, does take place, for obvious reasons. After finding just the right vintage drapes for the closet openings in the guest room below, we had barely enough extra fabric to make valences for the twin windows, and when that was done, we moved the collection of antique purses that were at the windows to a place above the bed. Note the pair of hats, part of another collection that is still taking shape.

Over the stair rail upstairs is a very old quilt that picks up the warm color of the oak trim and floors and draws the eye upward and on to the paintings beyond.

In the master bedroom a large slider opens to the deck where we can see the river beyond, but for privacy when the sun goes down we designed and made a painted pine screen and installed a cutter quilt on it that has all the warmth and color of its years. The pinwheel design is endlessly interesting because the pieces don't all go the same way, something that might have gone unnoticed if not for the installation. At the top of the screen is a long hand knotted cotton fringe from the flea market put there only to dry after a soak but the fit was so perfect we left it!

I hope you will come back here often to see what is new. Interests keep expanding and new collections will emerge. Thank you for looking. Nice to hear from you if you have questions or simply want to share.

User:0cmiller( 127)  Date:Nov-25-09 06:33:11 PST Praise: Quick ship User:wcnrs( 92)  Date:Nov-24-09 17:34:48 PST Praise: Beautiful jacket though definately not a size 18. fast delivery. User:vegasangel77( 98)  Date:Nov-23-09 20:30:51 PST Praise: Item as Described. Quick Shipping! User:joanscully( 1194)  Date:Nov-23-09 17:46:43 PST Praise: Finials are Gorgeous! Perfect on my lamps! Great seller, fast shipping 5 Stars! User:missalayneous( 1456)  Date:Nov-23-09 04:41:52 PST Praise: Stunning nightgown in perfect condition. Lovely seller as well. User:rose_bouquet05 ( private )  Date:Nov-21-09 01:02:00 PST Praise: Great item and wonderful to work with! Thanks! User:rose_bouquet05 ( private )  Date:Nov-21-09 00:55:59 PST Praise: Great item and wonderful to work with! Thanks! User:markiroc1989( 372)  Date:Nov-18-09 16:42:54 PST Praise: Perfect as described, good e-bayer! User:albans101( 335)  Date:Nov-18-09 16:26:02 PST Praise: Beautiful eyelet as pictured. Arrived promptly & safely. Thank you. User:mal-tbo( 3188)  Date:Nov-17-09 21:22:38 PST Praise: Quick payment. Thanks very much. 5 Stars all the way! To see all feedback for this member, go to the Member Profile page.