How do I tell the age of vintage linens?

Question

I was given a box of antique linens. Prior to finding out their age I washed them in the washing machine with regular detergent and bleach because there were a great many yellow stains. Only upon closer inspection once the items were out of the dryer did I notice that much of the extensively detailed lace and cutwork was done by hand. It caused me to question the age of the items so I contacted the person who gave them to me and they said they were at least 85 years old but might be older as they had been in the 85 year old owner's family as far back as their great-grandmother. My original intent was to use the lace for my sewing but I'm afraid I have something of greater value and I don't want to ruin it! How do I find out?

Answer 1

look on like for a antiques dealer who deals in vintage linens. Also look up appraisers in your phone book, they can also often tell the age of linens for inshurance purposes. you can also try to  figure out the age based on the patterns on them, but if they are original that might not work, look up vintage transfers.

Answer 2

I used to restore quilts and ran into this frequently. I soon found out that I knew more than a lot of the experts.  go to a book store and look for books on how to date fabrics.  I no longer have the information on the books.  The fabrics from that era were 100 % cotton that were used for lace and cutwork.  You may want to check with the Smithsonian website. If you live near Washington, DC you could contact them there. They have a museum and take donations and appraisals on antique linens.

Make sure you do not leave your items with someone for an appraisal; make sure you do a thorough check on who you go to.  

You are very fortunate that the items did not fall apart in the wash.  This tells me that they were properly stored and not put in an attic where they would have suffered dry rot.

If you choose to iron; use a press cloth and a cool iron. Be gentle to not stretch the items, press- don't stretch !  What you have could be very valuable to a collector. If you choose to keep; consider shadow boxes using acid free mat boards, etc. Keep out of direct sunlight!

In the future, should this arise, hand wash gently with cool water with a mild soap (Ivory). Avoid bleach since this weakens the filaments and never put in a dryer.

Take pictures close up, or video tape. It is very difficult to insure something like this. Most home owners insurance companies do not want to 'mess with' textiles. It is very difficult to put a price on these items unless they are in a controlled environment. They are considered 'blue antiques' and not replaceable.