Lovers of old linens to lunch at Albany Town House
At last year’s presentation at the Albany Town House on vintage aprons, some of the displays were placed on tables decorated with tablecloths from bygone eras.
“People saw them and said, ‘Next year you should do vintage linens,’” said Norma Salway, one of the organizers.
This year the linen-lovers will get their wish.
Dozens of handmade doilies, pillowtops, potholders and other items will be on display at a “Vintage Linens Lunch & Talk” at the Town House on Friday, Aug. 10.
Like last year, the event is a fundraiser for the Albany Improvement Association, which is working to restore and improve the Town House.
Many of this year’s displays come from Salway’s own family, both from her own side and that of her late husband, Dave’s. Most are from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Other items Salway picked up at yard sales.
Last week she marveled at some of the detail in the linens.
“They didn’t have the best of light to work in,” said Salway. “And they had other work to do.”
The Linen Lunch will also include historical information on different types of linen, as well as a few tidbits.
For example, said Salway, the word “doily” comes from the name of a 17thh-century fabric merchant in England.
Work on the Town House continues. A memorial garden is planned for the base of a recently-added flagpole. And the current sign, “Town Hall,” will be repainted to reflect the true name of the building.
Outside painting is also on the to-do list.
Inside, the AIA is continuing with plans for a museum display, with vignettes showing the different periods in Albany’s history, from the time it was a thriving farming town through its dissolution into a township.
The AIA would also like to see the building used more for private and other functions.
The Aug. 10 fundraiser will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, and children under 12 are $2. The lunch will be sandwiches, fruits and vegetables and desserts. For reservations call 824-2305.
Norma Salway and her sister, Dottie Adams, with some of the linens that will be displayed Aug. 10 at the Albany Town House.