I’m delighted that my article on ‘Early twentieth century Nottingham lace curtains: an ideal window furnishing’ has just been published online by Textile History. It started with some research into three collections of machine lace curtains from the archive of Nottingham City Museums and Galleries and I used them as the basis for further research into the types of curtains that were for sale in the early twentieth century, both in the UK market and for export. I also looked at sales catalogues, retail advertising and advice manuals to see how different curtains were promoted to different social groups. This was done by suggesting certain curtains for different rooms in the house and for different budgets. The years after the first world war brought great cultural changes to life and homes in many countries and these were reflected in curtain designs and sales. The paper also includes information on the workings of the Nottingham lace curtain machine and the training of lace curtain designers. As you can see, the article covers many aspects of the lace curtain trade as well as some social history so I hope you will find it interesting. If you are interested in reading it, the publishers have kindly provided 50 free copies on a first come first served basis via this link https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/UGGP82D3BMHQFZBMGTHS/full?target=10.1080/00404969.2024.2318661
