Thoughts on White Linen Damask

I have been reading White Figurated Linen Damask, from the 15th to the beginning of the 19th century, by Dr. G.T. van Ysselsteyn, published in Den Haag, 1962.

Dr. van Ysselsteyn commented that it was the expectation that, in 10 year’s time (then being the 1960s), figured damask will have disappeared even from the inherited trousseaus. This is due to: items being lost or destroyed during the wars, worn pieces being used as rags and polishing cloths and large houses haven given way to smaller ones, which have no room for the large formal dinner parties that require formal state linens. Cocktail parties do not require such large tables and quantities of enormous napkins. Styles also changed and the English and American use of placemats on bare tables became more popular everywhere.

The Author also stated that “damask requires special cleaning. It has to be cleaned with soft soap in a brass casserole, laid out on grass to be bleached and has to be pressed cold between rolls. This can still be done in the Netherlands but it is expensive and is therefore not suitable for everyday use.”

The introduction goes on to say that these linens “… are relatively cheap. Collections are rare. The material is not spectacular, photographs give a better impression than the object itself. Only those with a sound knowledge of the fabric and, with love for the hand-labor of their ancestors, want to collect the antique material.” Well said!

So, if you love and appreciate white linen damask, you are a member of a small club, indeed.

Advertisement