Young and old

Taken in my showroom, a year ago, this was part of an article in Country Life magazine titled Bright Old Things. and featured several people who had started new careers after retiring and are still working. Myself, I don't think I have ever stopped working and have been involved in antiques in most of my life, the latest choice being textiles. Here is my great- granddaughter, Rose Murray, her grandmother, Charlotte, (my second daughter) playing in one of my showrooms with a bit of old Indian fabric. The cupboard in the background is a handsome Irish Regency pine housekeepers cupboard for the storage of linen in a big household - with locks on every door, ideal for my business which I have since sold with a proper picture of it in a separate blog.
The showroom is now a guest room with mostly French fabrics decorating.

Tickings and Case Covers

Having been re-named Mrs. Ticking by some of my old clients, I am showing a few more examples of these useful and hardwearing cloths. The red and blue striped examples were made up as 'case covers' to cover valuable silk, velvet and embroidered chairs in the 19th C. in France, shut up for a season, and the fine colours and delicate fabrics needing protection from the strong sun, from pests like flies and mice as well as dirt and dust. These two patterns were used traditionally and are very charming and useful for making up into accessories, cushions, and trimming stuff. The fine herringbone stripe weave does not show up in the photo but adds to the strength and distinctive look of the fabric. The chair covers were made to fit loosely, sometimes with a few buttons or ties down the back, and seams were strengthened with a matching red or blue tape - the white ticking also shown is a baby's cot lining with a little frill all around, crisp and clean

This cloth makes a lovely crisp backing for cushions