Linen Press
A linen press, walnut, oak, English, circa 1690
Linen Press
Part of the Noel Terry Collection
Height: 64cm; Width: 71cm. Depth: 44cm NT1984.086
This piece has a turned walnut frame and oak pressboards, and stands on blocks fashioned as seated lions. A spiral screw is used to raise or lower the top board, whilst the linen or damask is folded and placed between the boards for pressing.
Dutch paintings of the late seventeenth century occasionally show walls lined with hangings that appear to have a large check pattern. This is now thought to be the fold lines caused by the linen press.
Laundering of large damask tablecloths was a huge affair in the 18th C, not just because of the size, but because of the value. Royal household accounts show that the Prince Regent spent more on his Irish tablecloth than he did on the mahogany table below.
Big cauldrons were needed and a large expanse of grass required to lay out the cloth whilst drying. (The chemicals in the grass also contributed to the bleaching effect and increased the whiteness of the cloth)
It was then carefully folded and placed in the Linen press between the boards.
After some time it was removed and then hand polished using a smoothing iron (a large glass object shaped like a mushroom)
By “Dashing away with the smoothing iron” the Laundry maid would magically reveal the woven pattern and these designs are clearly seen when viewing the cloth in daylight or by candlelight.
Height: 64cm; Width: 71cm. Depth: 44cm NT1984.086
This piece has a turned walnut frame and oak pressboards, and stands on blocks fashioned as seated lions. A spiral screw is used to raise or lower the top board, whilst the linen or damask is folded and placed between the boards for pressing.
Dutch paintings of the late seventeenth century occasionally show walls lined with hangings that appear to have a large check pattern. This is now thought to be the fold lines caused by the linen press.
Laundering of large damask tablecloths was a huge affair in the 18th C, not just because of the size, but because of the value. Royal household accounts show that the Prince Regent spent more on his Irish tablecloth than he did on the mahogany table below.
Big cauldrons were needed and a large expanse of grass required to lay out the cloth whilst drying. (The chemicals in the grass also contributed to the bleaching effect and increased the whiteness of the cloth)
It was then carefully folded and placed in the Linen press between the boards.
After some time it was removed and then hand polished using a smoothing iron (a large glass object shaped like a mushroom)
By “Dashing away with the smoothing iron” the Laundry maid would magically reveal the woven pattern and these designs are clearly seen when viewing the cloth in daylight or by candlelight.
This object is located in the Kitchen
It is categorised as Miscellaneous
This page was last updated on 16 June 2008