My article on ‘Early twentieth century Nottingham lace curtains: an ideal window furnishing’ has now been printed in volume 53 issue 2 of Textile History. It compares three collections of machine lace curtains from the archive of Nottingham City Museums and Galleries and begins by explaining how lace curtains were made and designed. During my research I also studied sales catalogues, retail advertising and advice manuals to see how different styles of curtains were promoted to different social groups. The advertisers and writers did this by suggesting certain styles of curtains for different rooms in the house and for different budgets and even sold parcels of curtains to furnish the complete home. The early twentieth century was a time of great cultural change as styles and fashions changed and simpler furnishing styles became popular. The manufacturers also catered for a large export market which again favoured different styles and fabrics compared to the home market. If you’re interested in reading the article for yourself, the publishers have provided 50 free copies on a first come first served basis through the link here. I hope you enjoy it.
https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/UGGP82D3BMHQFZBMGTHS/full?target=10.1080/00404969.2024.2318661