Yellow and white Margandie and linen placemat and napkin in the Iris design.

Close-up of the Iris napkin showing the intricate detail Marghab Linens are known for.

Imagine a tablecloth of the finest Irish linen, embroidered with the best French embroidery floss in a design of exquisite colors and flowing lines. Not a stitch out of place or less than perfect; a design so intricate that it consists of more than 85,000 tiny stitches. Only one company ever produced such magnificent work—Marghab Linens.

Started in 1937 by Emile and Vera Way Marghab on the island of Madeira—a Portuguese archipelago in the mid Atlantic Ocean—Marghab produced the finest hand-embroidered linens in the world. The company produced nearly 300 designs, many of which had several variations. Until the company closed in 1980, Marghab reigned as the finest of the Madeira embroidery houses. Several competitors, such as Imperial and Jabara, also produced fine linens in Madeira, but they were always second to Marghab. To date, no other linen house has been able to match Marghab’s exquisite workmanship.

A native of South Dakota, Vera was the driving force behind the quality and design of Marghab linens. Her insistence on the most perfect embroidery and the finest materials was unparalleled. Every piece was inspected before being sold. She was known to have rejected an embroidered piece that took months to create if just a few stitches were missing or not to her very high standards.

A tablecloth with matching napkins in the Hibiscus pattern. Some tablecloths had 100,000 stiches.

A close-up of the Hibiscus pattern. Photos do not do justice to this exquisite needlework.

At the height of their business, Marghab employed nearly 90 people in its Madeira facility. However, the majority of the embroidery was done by hundreds of highly skilled women throughout Madeira’s countryside. Then, needlecraft was a skill passed down through the generations from mother to daughter. Only the most skilled embroiderers worked for Marghab. These ladies usually worked outside in the island sunlight. Few wore glasses, and almost none used any kind of magnifying glass to do their needlework.

The embroiderers were paid by the stitch. Some of the tablecloths contained nearly 100,000 stitches. Many of the designs took months to complete, and some of the more intricate took as long as a year.

Marghab used only the finest fabrics and threads. Many of the linens were woven in Ireland specifically for Marghab. Emile and Vera made frequent trips to Ireland to supervise and ensure the quality of their linen. Marghab is also known for its own trademarked organdy fabric, called Margandie. The organdy available on the market at the time was not up to Vera’s standards, so she partnered with Swiss weavers and developed Margandie, made from Egyptian cotton. To ensure the perfect colors for their embroidery thread, Marghab had thread dyed specifically for them in England and France.

A set of Dancer cocktail napkins, which came in several colors.

Two fingertip towels in the Water Leaf pattern.

In keeping with the high standards of quality that Vera demanded for her linens, she allowed them to be sold only in chosen stores. Vera personally inspected each store to ensure it met her standards. Fifty-four stores in the U.S. were granted the right to sell Marghab linens. These salons had to agree to very strict guidelines set forth by Vera. For example, Marghab linens could never be displayed with other linens and were never to be put on sale.

Marghab linens were not signed. When new, they had a paper label pinned to them. Although you can occasionally come across a piece with the original Marghab tag still pinned to it, or still in the original Marghab box, it is unusual and a real find. The best way to identify a piece of Marghab linen is to become familiar with the designs. While some patterns have been copied, such as Rose Tree, Jacaranda Tree, Knight and Ponto Grego, there are often small details that give them away as a copy.

The book, “Perfection, Never Less – The Vera Way Marghab Story,” by D.J. Cline, is the only published reference available on Marghab linens. Unfortunately, a great deal of the book is spent on Vera’s personal life, and not on the making of Marghab linens. It has some nice full-color photos of about 30 of the Marghab designs, so it is a fairly limited resource.

Jacaranda Tree placemat and runner, one of Marghab’s more popular patterns.

A Marghab Linen cocktail napkin with the Calla Lilly design.

The largest and most complete collection of Marghab linens is in the Marghab Gallery at the South Dakota Art Museum. Vera was instrumental in organizing this gallery, which opened in 1970. In 1995, Vera died at the age of 95, and left her personal collection of Marghab linens to the South Dakota Art Museum. Its web site has photos of a few of the patterns on exhibit there. There are also a few pieces of Marghab in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Another good resource for Marghab designs is the WorthPoint website. Go to Research Your Items and under the Price Guides, do a search for Marghab linens. Susanin’s Auctions held a sale of Marghab linens for the South Dakota Art Museum in 2005, and most of the items sold are shown here with a description and photo. This is one of the most reliable resources, since these descriptions were provided by the South Dakota Art Museum, the pre-eminent authority on Marghab. If you are a registered member of WorthPoint, you will also be able to see the prices realized for each item.

Because of their limited numbers and the high quality of workmanship, Marghab linens command high prices. If you are buying them online, be sure to deal with a knowledgeable and reputable dealer. I have seen a number of embroidered linens described as Marghab that were not. I have also come across embroidered linens described as “Marghab-style.” There was only one Marghab—a piece either is Marghab or it isn’t. Once you have seen firsthand some of the exceptional embroidery done by Marghab, you will understand why it stands alone as the finest embroidery in the world.

Lynda Kolski is a Worthologist who specializes in vintage textiles.

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Zoran Stamenic’s grandfather was a woolmonger and carter in a small Serbian town near Belgrade. His grandparents’ home was filled with interesting textiles and rugs. “I remember as a boy just lying on the carpet fascinated by the patterns,” said Stamenic, WorthPoint’s expert on antique and collectible carpets and textiles. “It was always something I was aware of, part of life.”

In 1975, Stamenic came to the United States as a student in film and television production at American University in Washington, D.C., and while he had a varied film and TV career—including working for outlets such as CNN—his interest in rugs and tribal tapestries continued to grow. “Textiles were a side interest,” he said, “but as is the case with so many collectors, what started as a hobby turned into a business.” Today, Stamenic is owner of Fairfax, Va.-based Tribal Oriental Rugs and Textiles.

There are two rug and textiles markets: a collectibles market and a decorative market, although the border between the two isn’t always sharp. Sometimes a rug is for the wall and sometimes for the floor.

Collectors go small

“Collectors tend to focus on small textile pieces and small rugs,” Stamenic said. “When you get to the large antique carpets, you are dealing with decorative carpets used in interior design.”

Small textile pieces don’t necessarily come with small prices. A 1-foot-by-1-foot, 19th-century Shahsavan saddlebag can sell for $20,000, Stamenic said.

It was the Altaic nomads who spread their technique for making carpets from China through Tibet, the Caucuses, Iran and the Middle East. But each culture took that technique and made it its own. “The designs grew out of the soil,” Stamenic said. “A carpet is an empowered object. It has the charge of its culture.”

There are three different sources for oriental carpets and textiles—the tribe, the village and the shop or studio. Tribal carpets—smaller, made for everyday use and display—are prized by collectors. “These may be intricate or rough, but they are always very individual and creative,” Stamenic said.

It takes a village . . .

The village carpets were made by families in hamlets around major rug-trading centers, such as Tabriz in Iran or Konya in Turkey. While artisanal, these rugs, unlike the tribal rugs made for personal use, were made for the market.

Bakshaish village rug

This rare, 19th-century Bakshaish village rug was valued at $6,000-$7,000. It was meticulously restored in Turkey prior to the sale. This picture shows what it looked like before the restoration.

Finally, there are the shop or studio rugs made by professionals in the big-market centers, like Teheran and Istanbul. While these rugs are designed in a regional style, they will be “more an expression of an individual,” using dyes made and wool spun somewhere else, Stamenic said. “These carpets have the least ethnographic value,” he explained.

Rugs and carpets are still being made in these regions today, but the work, detail and color doesn’t compare with the carpets of the 19th century and earlier. “There has been a movement to return to the old vegetable dyes and handspun wool, so the carpets now are an improvement over what they were 20 years ago,” Stamenic said, “but its remains the antique pieces that are valued by collectors and sought after by interior designers.”

The prices reflect the difference in the craft and story of these rugs, according to Stemic. As a very rough guide, a 4-foot-by-6-foot antique tribal piece can cost $5,000 to $10,000, a comparable village rug will fetch $3,000 to $4,000 and a shop piece $5,000 to $6,000. The price on a brand new, 4-foot-by-6-foot, handmade rug, using the better vegetable dyes, is about $800.

Judging rugs

And how does one judge a rug? Well, there is the technical part of the craft, like the number of knots, but Stamenic counsels that in the first instance it is a question of beauty. “Does it grab you?” he asked. The key in that aesthetic decision is color. “They say that in real estate, everything is location, location, location,” Stamenic said. “When it comes to rugs, it is color, color, color. No matter how well a rug is made, if it has an off color, that’s it.”

If a rug has beautiful, clear colors—which start with good dyes—the next element to consider is if the carpet has shining, lustrous wool, then the design and the rug’s condition, Stamenic said.

“You have to do your research,” Stamenic said. “The best way to begin is to make connections with a good dealer who will help guide you through the process.” But one thing a would-be buyer should never do is make a purchase without examining the rug. “Never buy a piece where they require the purchase outright first,” he said.

Do your homework

The magazine HALI, a magazine published in London on antique textiles, is a valuable resource.

There are other resources, including key shows—the New York International Tribal and Textile Arts Show and the San Francisco Tribal & Textile Arts Show—and The Textile Museum in Washington, D.C.

For Stamenic, the story behind the rug remains as compelling as the craftsmanship itself. “You look at a 3-foot-by-5-foot Turkeman rug, and it is detailed and exquisite. It may have taken a girl five years to complete as a part of her dowry set. It is more than just a rug. It is an art form that has ties to a larger culture. It is an individual expression, as that girl dreams of what her life may be, and it is an expression of her culture as well.”

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

If you’re a collector of handkerchiefs, scarves or printed kitchen textiles, then you’ve probably come across some of Tammis Keefe’s wonderful and whimsical designs. Keefe was an American textile print designer who produced a large number of designs that are characterized by her vivid colors, fun and innovative designs and unique perspective.

Although she was quite prolific during her short life, you have to wonder what other fabulous designs she would have created had she lived longer. She was born Margaret Thomas Keefe in Los Angeles on Dec. 27, 1913 (there are numerous incorrect references on the Internet that say she was born in 1920). She died in Ridgefield, Conn., on June 5, 1960, at the very young age of 47 and at the height of her career.

Tammis Keefe did a series of linen towels and handkerchiefs with dog and cat themes. This momma cat and her kittens came in several different color schemes.

One of her more popular towel designs is Feed the Animals. Note the dancing monkey in a bell hop suite holding a tin cup with a parrot on his shoulder.

Keefe graduated from the Chouinard Art Institute (now part of the California Institute for the Arts) in Los Angeles and worked through the 1940s with Dorothy Wright Liebes in her San Francisco studio, which was well-known for its hand-woven fabrics. Liebes frequently used unusual, innovative materials, such as aluminum foil or Chinese grasses, in her weaving. Her fabrics were found in automobiles, bathing suits, lampshades, ships, airlines and hotels around the world. Considered one of the most successful textile designers in the world at the time, Liebes’ designs were often the basis for mass-produced machine woven fabrics. When Liebes opened a New York, studio in the late 1940s, Keefe moved east to work there.

Keefe designed many hankies with scenes from around the country, including San Francisco's Fisherman’s Wharf.

Keefe’s Delaware hanky, also available in several color schemes, is fairly easy to find around Delaware.

She also made several hankies that depicted scenes from New York City. This one is of the New York Public Library.

This is another handkerchief from Keefe's New York series, this one showing a street scene in Greenwich Village.

By 1949, Keefe had begun doing freelance design for other companies, including Lord and Taylor, and Kimball scarves. Keefe’s designs are most commonly found on women’s handkerchiefs and scarves, linen kitchen towels, tablecloths and cocktail napkins. She produced more than 200 towel designs alone. Some of her most popular designs depict animals with great whimsical personalities. Her holiday themes are also popular. She did a number of designs for famous places throughout the country, such as Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. While in New York, she produced a New York series of handkerchiefs that is still very sought after today.

Keefe would sometimes use the pseudonym Peg Thomas on her designs. It’s not unusual to find pieces, particularly handkerchiefs, signed with this name.

Although harder to find, Keefe did a number of tablecloth designs. This one has Cattle on Parade, with the different beef cows sporting different hats and signs for cuts of beef.

One of the few quotes in which Keefe talks about her designs appeared in a 1948 issue of American Fabrics. “Whenever possible, I like to introduce the three-dimensional in prints. I like ‘depth’ in a fabric. I also like the introduction of current objects treated artistically. Warm colors are my favorites—beige, tan with the addition of some cool color for relief.”

Keefe's handkerchiefs and towels with holiday themes are the easiest to find.

Other holiday handkerchiefs featured reindeer and ornaments, like this one.

Keefe spent the last four years of her life in Ridgefield, where she lived with her good friend Jane Trahey. As businesswoman, Trahey was also a maverick for her time. She owned and ran a well-known New York advertising agency, Jane Trahey and Associates, which was prominent in fashion and cosmetic advertising. Not only was her agency one of the first women-owned agencies in New York, but Trahey was the first woman to earn $1 million in advertising. She was very vocal and involved in women’s issues and was an early leader of the National Organization of Women.

This is one of several different handkerchiefs in Keefe’s Persian series.

Keefe’s signed linens command a high price, particularly items that are unused and still retain the original label. Animal, holiday and geographic designs tend to be the most collected. Look for examples in good condition and with good color. Often pieces signed Peg Thomas bring less, since few people realize this was Keefe’s pseudonym.

Lynda Kolski is a Worthologist who specializes in vintage textiles.

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

To set the tone, get dressed for the part. What would be more appropriate than a suit made specifically for Barack Obama during the campaign? To show that you never know where you’ll come across a significant collectible, this great find was discovered by a shopper at a bargain store in New York. A tag bearing Obama’s name was stitched in the inside coat pocket attesting to its authenticity. Its value has not been determined because no similar suit has been auctioned to date. However, it is estimated to be worth from $5,000 to the low five figures.

Naturally, you will want to complement your new suit with a set of cobalt-blue-and-gold presidential-style cuff links in its own leather presentation box. On the reverse is a bas-relief signature of Barack Obama, just perfect for your inaugural party at $250 a set or a lapel pin for $150.

Obama cuff links

Plates with a smiling Santa Claus obviously won’t fit your theme. Instead, consider setting your table with official inaugural plates. They cost $82 each and have a startling navy-blue-and-gold pattern with the official inaugural seal in gold.

2009 inaugural plate

When it’s time, bring out a wonderfully colorful, etched bottle of Mumm Champagne. Limited to only 200 individually numbered bottles, bearing the red-white-and-blue campaign logo with the inauguration date of Jan. 20, 2009, is an unusual collectible starting at $300. Add the gold-etched set of four Champagne flutes for $60 or a set of etched rocks glasses, too, featuring the presidential seal and the etched signature of the 44th president of the United States. A matched decanter with the gold-embossed presidential seal rounds out a perfect set for $75.

Obama Champagne

Decanter and flute

Caution alert: Lest you get carried away in the headiness of the festivities, be sure to buy a back-up bottle or two of bubbly for toasting purposes, otherwise you’ll drink your collectible’s value.

Decorate your inaugural table with the cross-cut crystal vase adorned with the presidential seal and signature of Barack Obama in gold for $75. I don’t know if President Obama has a favorite flower is, but it will look just as presidential filled with your favorite. Or you might go with some patriotic red, white and blue carnations.

Obama vase

Once the party’s over, store your cuff links and lapel pin in a hardwood replica of the Oval Office desk, similar in design to the original given to President Rutherford B. Hayes by Queen Victoria of England and used by most presidents ever since. The original desk, the one that John-John Kennedy famously played under, is priceless, but your wooden replica box is much more affordable at $125.

Oval Office desk replica

Of course, there are other collectibles to be had. Every inauguration brings out the best in artists and artisans. Issuing an official inaugural medal has been tradition since 1901 when William McKinley took office. This year, Mark Mellon, a Connecticut artist, was asked to create the bas-relief image of Barack Obama for the 2009 official inaugural medal.

“There were times when I was sculpting when I literally had tears in my eyes,” Mellon said, “just knowing the magnitude of the moment. As an artist, to have just a little bit of input in how we celebrate this president is a huge honor—a huge honor and a big responsibility.”

To truly commemorate the occasion, purchase the complete set of gold, silver and bronze medals in its own presentation box for $3,000. Or you can purchase an individual bronze for $70 and a sterling silver version for $400.

Inaugural medals

To see other great and wonderful gifts (and future heirlooms) that honor our 44th president on the day of his inauguration, visit Worthologist Jim Warlick’s Official Souvenirs site.

P.S. And don’t forget to buy food and beverages for the party.

WorthPoint—Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles

Being the type of person who thinks “if you want something done right, do it yourself,” I searched the Internet for any information at all on repairing/sewing furs. I could find absolutely nothing on the subject and couldn’t even find a book on fur manufacturing. The best I could do was buy a package of leather needles at the sewing store, which I figured would be effective when sewing through a very thick fur. I examined many furs to try to understand the construction, as well as studying the way they were stitched, from the seams, to attaching the collars, to the way the linings were hand-sewn into the garment. I also scrutinized the actual repairs that were done on my minks, noting how they were done and taking special notice of the things I thought could have been done more neatly. I really believed that I could do it better than a professional furrier, so I took a deep breath and plunged into the world of fur repair.

What I Did

To attach sable pelts to a coat, I threaded a huge leather needle with quadruple thread and, my fingers aching, I kept sewing until the job was done.

My first project was to re-do a repair that was done by my furrier. He was supposed to have re-attached the dangling fur pelts that were hanging from the ends of a Sable stole. He had sewn them on so loosely and unevenly that I was very displeased. I nervously cut out his stitches, leaving me with four Sable pelts on the table, completely separated from the main body of the stole. I threaded the huge leather needle with quadruple thread, since I had seen that the thread the furrier used was a thick cord type, rather than the usual sewing thread. I began sewing the first pelt to the end of the stole, blowing on the fur to get it out of the way of the thread as I pulled it tight.

I seemed to have some kind of instinct as to what to do to make the stitches invisible. It was very difficult, as the pelts were doubled and had some kind of batting inside them. The needle had to pass through four thicknesses of fur and batting in order to be attached. My fingers aching, I kept sewing until the job was done and was rewarded with a perfectly sewn stole with pelts so tight that no amount of pulling would loosen them. I was tempted to show the furrier but thought better of it, as I didn’t want to insult him or seem arrogant. However, I was extremely proud of my accomplishment, which gave me courage to attack other repairs on my furs.

What You Can Do

I was rewarded with a perfectly sewn stole with pelts so tight that no amount of pulling would loosen them.

When sewing a fur, here is how to proceed: Use a special leather needle, available at any sewing store. You will need a needle-nose pliers, thimble, thread and scissors. To attach one piece of fur to another, pin it in place to hold it while you sew. Insert needle and thread, pushing the needle through the pelts with the thimble. When you have enough of the needle to grab on the other side, take the pliers and pull it though. Before you completely pull the thread tight, blow and brush the fur out of the way of the thread so it does not get caught. If it does, use the needle to pick it out of the stitch, flicking the fur back and forth with the needle. Brushing the fur with the fingers will smooth it over and hide the stitches. Continue until you are finished and tie off the thread, again pushing on the fur and blowing it out of the way. You want the stitches to be buried deep in the fur so you will never see them. Cut the thread, leaving it long so you can separate the strands and tie them several times, then carefully cut it deep within the fur, but be careful not to cut the fur. Better to leave the thread a little too long than to cut the guard hairs because they won’t grow back!

If you need to sew a seam or tear, use a thin needle, as the torn skin is delicate and a thick needle will damage it further. Using a double thread, gently put the needle into the skin, but not too close to the edge or it will likely tear out and you will not be able to repair it at all. When you pull the thread, do so gently and very slowly to see if it’s holding. If the repair is in a spot that will have a great deal of stress, you can sew it lightly, then glue a leather patch on the reverse side of the pelt (which will require you to open the lining). Then you must re-sew the lining, copying the original method you will see when you examine the lining edges. The stitches of the lining are taken from inside the lining and attached to the fabric strip which you will see is sewn to the edge of the pelt. The lining is not sewn to the skin itself, but to the fabric strip. Make the stitches as tiny as you can and you should have an invisible repair.

Easy Fixes

If you are repairing Broadtail lamb, you should open the lining and sew it in from the back to hide the seams, and then close the lining back up.

Another type of damage you can easily repair is the wear on the edges of a Persian lamb. Very often there is fur worn off, resulting in the ivory-colored skin showing through. Simply get a bottle of leather/shoe dye in the correct color at your local shoe repair shop or shoe polish section of the supermarket. If there is no dauber in the bottle, use a cotton swab to dab the color on the ivory skin. Use it sparingly and let it dry completely before wearing. You will be surprised and pleased at how the damage blends in and it makes the piece completely wearable.

Persian lamb very often has little splits where the curls peel back from the skin. You can correct this by using glue. This is the only time I will recommend gluing a fur, since in most cases, it will show and you will permanently damage the hair if the glue gets on the fur. To repair the loose Persian lamb curls, use tweezers to hold back the curl from the skin. Take a dot of white glue on a toothpick and put a tiny amount on the skin. With the tweezers, gently press the curl back onto the skin. Voila! You have done another invisible fix. Persian lamb is one of the easiest furs to patch as well. If you find yourself with an actual hole in the fur, you can cut a piece from an old damaged garment made of Persian Lamb. These are easy to find on online auction sites and are usually titled “craft cutters”. Cut a piece a little larger than the hole, place it in the opening and sew it to the perimeter of the hole. The curls will hide the stitches. If you are repairing the flatter type of Broadtail lamb, you should open the lining and sew it in from the back to hide the seams, and then close the lining back up. Persian lamb is the most forgiving fur when it comes to repairs!

Yet another type of damage is something being stuck in the fur, like a spill or something sticky. Using a pet brush will usually correct this. Very gently brush the substance from the stuck-together fur and you will have a uniform nap once more.

Use Your Imagination

This fur had a monogram that had been horribly chopped out of the lining, leaving a huge, gaping hole. I used black satin blanket binding from the sewing store to make a patch and put my own monogram on it.

There are other types of damage I have fixed simply by using my imagination, like opening a lining, rolling the damaged edge of a mink stole inward and re-sewing the lining to the shortened fur edge. It totally hid the damage and no one would ever notice anything had been done. Another time, I had a fur from which the monogram had been horribly chopped out of the lining, leaving a huge, gaping hole. I used black satin blanket binding from the sewing store to make a patch (the edges were already finished on two sides), or you could cut a piece of pretty fabric to cover the hole. Machine hem the edges into a neat square or rectangle. You can decorate the edges by sewing on a fancy trim or brocade ribbon, as I did. You can then use iron-on initials to make your own monogram, then you can either hand or machine-sew the “patch” into the lining. Again, nobody would ever know there was a hole there before you did your magic! Make the patch as pretty as you can, embellishing with trims and pearls and it will become a really special part of the garment, one which you will actually want to show off rather than hide. If you are really into details, stencil your initials onto the patch, and then sew tiny pearls to the outline to actually make a pearl monogram! Talk about unique!

When you have a special fur that you love, find ways to make it wearable by repairing it yourself. You will have the satisfaction of saving money, acquiring a new skill, using your imagination and saving your prized fur in the process.

Sharon Maxwell-Yamamoto is a Worthologist who specializes in vintage clothing and accessories.

WorthPoint: Get the Most from Your Antiques and Collectibles

On Jan. 20, Warlick’s forecast—as well as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s dream of racial unity and reconciliation—will come to fruition as the inauguration of America’s first president of African-American descent is held on the Capitol steps before the eyes of the world. Obama’s unprecedented presidency will resonate throughout history, and undoubtedly, the material evidence of his victory, swearing-in and presidency will be treasured for generations to come.

As the owner, producer and curator of the American Presidential Experience’s InauguralFest and with his store, Political Americana, located literally just down the street from the White House, rest assured that Warlick will be at the center of Tuesday’s events (and the inevitable flood of “Obamabilia”) as an estimated crowd of two to five million will be in Washington, D.C., as Obama takes the oath of office.

Crystal paperweight with 2009 inaugural seal

Presidential memorabilia, like many collectibles, can serve as social barometers and indicators of an ongoing narrative describing the times we lived in, are living in and will live in as the future approaches. It is little wonder, then, that “Obamabilia” speaks to messages of hope and change in a dark economic and geopolitical climate.

Jim Warlick’s work in the political-collectibles field as a retailer and an acknowledged authority has helped to preserve this ongoing narrative. From saving campaign literature in childhood to selling buttons at the 1980 Democratic National Convention and on through the opening of his Political Americana store, Warlick’s involvement with political collecting has been lifelong. He has parlayed his keen understanding of the presidency’s significance into a success measured more in the preservation of America’s political heritage and the extension of the presidential experience to everyday Americans than in sales or personal gratification.

Autographed Obama picture

“I’ve always been a student of American political history,” says Warlick. “Being a part of political campaigns and collecting early American political memorabilia, I’ve learned more about American history than I ever did in school. Collecting and documenting political memorabilia is a great way to preserve American history for future generations to share and learn from.”

Those visiting D.C. next week will have an opportunity to share in Warlick’s passion as part of the larger festivities that will be occurring throughout the nation’s capital not only at his Political Americana and five official souvenir store locations selling inauguration memorabilia, but also at the American Presidential Experience’s InauguralFest. As did visitors to the American Presidential Experience in Denver last August during the Democratic National Convention, those attending InauguralFest will get a hands-on look at three centuries worth of presidential memorabilia and collectibles including scale-model replicas of Air Force One and the Oval Office.

A John-John pose in the Oval Office replica

From an exhibit of First Ladies’ gowns to one of the infamous Florida voting machines that introduced the phrase “hanging chads” to the world, the range of exhibits that Warlick has curated tells not only the story of the American presidency but also of the nation itself—a story that will reach one of its defining climaxes as the son of a white Kansas woman and a black Kenyan man accedes to the most powerful office in the world.

First Ladies' gowns

It is a historic moment in American history, and Jim Warlick will be there as it happens to collect, identify and share the significant artifacts that will capture the spirit of this turning point in our national, cultural and social narrative.

The American Presidential Experience’s InauguralFest is located at the old Washington Convention Site at 1001 H. St. NW Washington, DC (Metro Center subway stop). It is open every day from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Jan. 16 through Jan. 23 and from 9 a.m.-5.p.m. Jan. 24. For tickets and further information, visit the InauguralFest Web site.

The Political Americana store is located at 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20004. Four other locations selling official inauguration memorabilia are in Washington, Virginia and Maryland. Visit www.officialsouvenirs.com, www.politicalamericana.com , email info@officialsouvenirs.com, or call 202-737-7730 for more information.

Other articles about Jim Warlick and political collectibles:

Jim’s WorthPoint Worthologist profile

Jim’s WorthPoint blogs

Warlick profile by Mark Jaffe

Top Obama collectibles

The American Presidential Experience

WorthPoint at the American Presidential Experience (video)

Jim Warlick’s Political Americana (video)

WorthPoint—Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles

Examples of Bakelite

It started with a cardboard box at a garage sale purchased for $1. In the box was a plastic jewelry set—a bracelet, ring and earrings—all in polka dots. That was the beginning of Maggie Turnipseed’s collecting Bakelite plastics. “There is something about the quality of the pieces. They are very smooth, and they come in a rainbow of colors,” said Turnipseed, a WorthPoint expert on a wide spectrum of collectibles and antiques from hatpins to Victorian jewelry to cast-iron doorstops.

“I wish I could collect just one thing, but I am always finding something new,” said Turnipseed, who is an antique dealer and an accredited appraiser of antiques and residential contents with the International Society of Appraisers. Her specialties are decorative arts, Victoriana, Victorian and Edwardian jewelry, American art pottery and Mexican sterling.

Bakelite wasn’t in her résumé, but Turnipseed applied her tried-and-true technique to the new collectible. “That’s how I usually start. I buy something that catches my eye, and then I try to learn everything I can about it,” she said. “The learning is the most fun.” For Maggie’s blog on Bakelite, click here.

It all began in the 1970s when as a college student Turnipseed became fascinated with hatpins. The pins at 9 to 18 inches (big enough to secure a large hat in thickly piled hair) were stylish and often decorated with gemstones and porcelain. “They were part of an elegant age, although they were really made to hold on a hat,” Turnipseed said.

Antique hatpins

Collecting something as small and obscure as a hatpin in the days before the Internet was a challenge, but over the years, Turnipseed continued gathering them, and today some hatpins sell for thousands of dollars. For more information on them, visit the American Hatpin Society.

From hatpins, Turnipseed moved on to chatelaines, purses worn on the waist that are the forerunner of the lady’s handbag; tussie-mussies, cone-shaped, flower holders carried by Victorian ladies; tea balls, the delicate, little metal-and-silver infusers for brewing tea; and Victorian jewelry.

Chatelaine

“If there is a theme here, they are all very feminine items from the Victorian and Art Nouveaux eras,” Turnipseed said. They can also be described as the art and artifact of a genteel lifestyle now long gone.

The tussie-mussie, or nosegay, for example, had both practical and romantic applications. In the more odiferous Victorian Age, a time of soot, open sewers and carriage-horse droppings, the nosegay, held in hand by a finger ring, could provide a scented burst of relief. The flowers were also signs and symbols—the Langue of Flowers it was called. Pansies signified loving thoughts, mint warm feelings, ivy friendship. “Just think of putting the wrong flower in your tussie-mussie and sending the wrong message!” Turnipseed said. Click here to learn more about tussie-mussies.

A tussie-mussie

Among Turnipseed’s newest collections is Victorian jewelry, which just like the Bakelite, began with acquiring a few random pieces that caught her eye. “It is the story of my life. I go to an antique show and get distracted. I should wear blinders,” she said.

Again, as she did with Bakelite, Turnipseed embarked on the study of Victorian jewelry, collecting books and price guides. “You just read and read,” she said. “The Internet has also made a big different because now you can see pictures of so many items.”

At the moment, Victorian jewelry and Victoriana are a buyer’s market. “Victoriana just is not ‘it’ right now,” Turnipseed said. It is a cautionary tale of the fickle nature of the collectibles market. “Art Deco and midcentury are hotter because that is what the young are collecting, if they are collecting at all.”

So Victoriana may be in that soft spot between really old and rare and really trendy and really a good buy. “I am hanging on to my collection,” Turnipseed said. “One day the market will turn. I’m betting on it.”

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Ellen Malcolm, founder of Emily’s List called it “a proud moment in our nation’s history.”

Great Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown deemed it “inspirational.”

There were reports of millions of joyful people dancing in the streets from Bogotá to Naples to Shanghai to Chicago.

Bushmen in the Kalahari Desert slaughtered cows in honor of the occasion.

The Sun (UK) found one weeping German celebrant who said, “In my lifetime, the world’s people have never felt closer.”

Former South African President Nelson Mandela called the event “monumental.”

It “Unleashes a Flood of Hope Worldwide,” proclaimed a New York Times headline.

Obama’s historic inauguration

This is just a tip of the reaction to Barack Obama’s election as 44th president of the United States. On January 20, this man whose mother was a white woman from Kansas and father a black Kenyan will be sworn into office on the steps of the United States Capitol.

It estimated that anywhere from two to five million people will jam Washington, D.C., to witness history being made as the first African-American takes the presidential oath of office.

And without question, the inauguration will produce a raft of collectibles. The question for collectors is how to tell the difference between items that will only have sentimental or commemorative value and those that will be true historical keepsakes.

Luckily, there is a way to tell the difference.

New York Post day after election

The first rule of collectibles is if there are many of them, their value is reduced. When Barack Obama defeated John McCain, scores of newspapers trumpeted historic headlines, some are still being reprinted and sold as commemoratives. Because there are so many of them, their value will be limited. This will be also true for the scores of inaugural newspaper editions.

Conversely, if there are few items, their collectible value will be higher. Lead-crystal vases featuring an engraved inaugural seal from the best glassmakers in the world, for example, will continue as a long-term investment as a historical and highly prized collectible. The sticker price will reflect that, as well.

If you want a head start on long-term collectibles, buy things with the official seal of the 56th Presidential Inauguration Committee. (Some presidents have served more than one term and therefore, have had more than one inauguration.) These are items officially recognized by the only committee chosen by President-elect Barack Obama to oversee and pay for official inaugural events, such as the inaugural balls. Over time, these items, from specially designed pins by renowned artist Ann Hand to glassware, jewelry, posters and all manner of memorabilia, will be the items most collected, and they all will carry the official seal of the committee in their design.

Glass paperweight

Then there is the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies comprised of members from the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate who are responsible for the swearing-in ceremonies and the congressional luncheon. The official programs for these events, particularly the swearing-in, will have a clear long-term collectible value. In fact, it is safe to say that the programs for this transformational inaugural will be especially valuable over time.

Inaugural mug

There are other official inaugural items that will be highly sought after by collectors, such as the official inaugural badge. Since 1933, the two dozen or so official police units operating within the District of Columbia have issued specially created police badges for use during the inaugural period. The early ones are very rare, while the more recent ones continue to be highly valued. Press credentials, military items, signage, anything out of the ordinary such as the cardboard No Parking signs attached throughout the city are highly collectible long after the event, too.

“In my store, Political Americana, we are fortunate to have all kinds of inaugural souvenirs from a simple button, badge, lapel pin, tote bag, T-shirt and coffee mug to the official inaugural medal and glassware,” says Jim Warlick, owner of Political Americana and WorthPoint Worthologist for political items. “Our full-scale Oval Office will also provide you with the opportunity to have your picture taken behind a replica of the Oval Office desk the new president will use.”

Obama inaugural T-shirt

Mary Brenneman, WorthPoint content director, sees significance in collectibles beyond their collecting value. “I find it fascinating that collectibles can serve as harbingers.”

She points out that Warlick predicted back in the spring of 2008 that Obama would win the election because his collectibles were outselling Hillary Clinton’s and John McCain’s combined.

So be you Democrat or Republican, Libertarian or Independent, now’s the time to look to the future and search out Obama inauguration collectibles.

WorthPoint-Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles

The answer is, you can, if you are willing to pay couture prices to buy the designer goods which incorporate the different types of Persian Lamb. There have been stories of Persian Lamb being a cruel fur because it required the killing of a pregnant ewe in order to get her unborn lamb. That is debatable; however, these stories have made it a less acceptable fur to wear. For those who admire and wish to acquire Persian Lamb, vintage is the way to go.

Persian Lamb is a beautiful fur. It’s warm, rather sturdy and can be sporty or dressy. It comes in different curl patterns, depending on the age of the lamb from which it was taken. But this one is faux, although the collar is white mink.

Persian lamb was very popular from the early 20th century until about the 1970’s, with the popularity waning a bit after that. It was still found trimming suits and coats; however, full Persian Lamb coats were not easily found after that time, hence the value of a vintage Lamb coat.

There are many vintage coats around, usually dating from the middle of the last century. But, there are also many manufacturers who developed fabrics that mimic the genuine article pretty well. Many people are fooled by the faux furs, and even those who sell vintage clothing are often not experts in the field and simply believe what they are told when they buy the garments from estates.

The term “Persian Lamb” can refer to many different types of lamb fur, sometimes called Astrakhan, Karakul or Broadtail. All of these refer to lamb, but at different ages after birth (or even before, taken from stillborn lambs). The type I will address in this article is the curly type, which is taken from the lambs when they are about 10 days old.

Faux Persian Lamb is easy to spot, if you know what you’re looking for. This is another example of a faux fur coat with a mahogany mink collar.

Faux Persian Lamb is notorious for being passed off as real. The very first Persian Lamb piece I ever (mistakenly) bought was faux fur, and I quickly learned how to tell the difference. I have even seen real and faux furs all labeled as genuine fur in a vintage store, simply because so many people just don’t know how to tell which is which. When I told the owner how to test it, she refused to look and said I was wrong, so I most certainly did not buy from her. An on-line seller once told me that Persian Lamb was shorn from the live animal and then sewn in a curl pattern on a fabric backing, so that’s why, although he “found the fabric between the curls, as I said he would, the coat was definitely real Persian Lamb.” I’m afraid he was in denial about how furs are made.

There is a lot of misconception out there, so to find out if the fur is genuine or faux, read on.

If you are buying a fur from a shop, do the following (or if shopping online, ask the seller to do these tests and look for these things):

• Look at the fur under a strong light and part the curls with your fingers. If you see a woven black fabric between the curls, it’s faux fur. Real Persian Lamb has a smooth hide, which is covered with the hair, and the curls will be much harder to part. The curl pattern on a faux fur will appear to be too uniform, indicating it to be machine-made, while real fur has a much more random pattern of curls.

• Next, beware if a seller claims a lamb coat has absolutely no flaws at all. Persian Lamb will nearly always have a bit of edge wear at the back of the neck, cuffs, pocket edges, front edges and around fasteners. The wear will appear to be ivory-colored hide showing through where the fur has worn off. There will usually be tiny areas where the curls have split from the hide, showing ivory-colored skin in little spots (which can be repaired by dabbing with black leather dye).

• Finally, a faux Persian Lamb fur is rather lightweight, while the real thing usually weighs a ton.

Genuine Persian Lamb looks like the example on the left, while the example on the right is faux Persian Lamb with a faux fur collar.

Sometimes you will see a coat with tiny, nubby curls, and the seller or price tag may also state “Persian Lamb.” This is not fur at all, not even faux fur, but a wool fabric called “boucle.” This was a very popular fabric in the 1950’s, often called “Poodle Cloth,” but it is also confused with Persian Lamb.

I can look at a picture and instantly know if it’s real or fake. I can also pick one up without looking at it and know the same. If you are interested in Persian Lamb, you can learn this too, but you must do the tests and compare before you buy. Faux fur has its merits, but you should not buy unless you know which one you are getting. Good selling points in favor of the faux fur are that you don’t have to keep it in cold storage, it’s cheaper to clean, it’s sturdier and you can wear it in the rain.

Be aware that the faux Persian Lamb coats are usually accented with rabbit fur collars, while the real ones are made with mink collars (although there are exceptions). The faux Persian Lamb jackets you will find with the label “A Winter Product” almost always have a black Rabbit collar, black velvet buttons with loop closures and no furrier’s label. Sometimes this style has no label at all.

This little cropped coat is a common example of a faux Persian Lamb product.

This little cropped jacket (above) is  very common, and you will see yourself coming and going in it, so I only recommend this if you want something to wear running around town. The care label, which you will never find in a real fur, will state “Clean by Furrier Method Only, no Steam.” If you see that, you can be sure it’s not a real fur. Many people misunderstand this label and think “Furrier Method” means it’s real, while it actually means that the fur should be treated as if it were real. The names “Safari,” “Sportowne,” “Borgana” and “Miracurl” are a few of the most widely-known names of manufacturers and designers of faux fur garments.

These are examples of labels of faux Persian Lamb products. They often say “Clean by Furrier Method Only, no Steam,” which is true; this is how to treat a faux Persian Lamb product. But that doesn’t make it genuine Persian Lamb.

Isn’t it funny how a fur that has become so unpopular could be so greatly sought after in a faux fur version? It seems that people really do want the look of Persian Lamb. After reading this article, I hope those of you who wish to have the real thing can now identify it, acquire it, wear it and love it. I know I do.

Sharon Maxwell-Yamamoto is a Worthologist who specializes in vintage clothing and accessories.

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These towels are nice examples of Appenzell embroidery, although because they are only floral without any figures, they are not as highly desired.

Through the 18th and 19th century, this exquisite needlework was done by hand by thousands of women working at home. The industry flourished during the early 1900s, when some of the best work was produced. Today, there are only a few embroiderers who continue to do this fine, time-consuming needlework. Strolling down the main street of Appenzell today, by the many early homes, you can look up at the rows of windows that provided bright daylight for the upstairs workshops and imagine the women bent over their embroidery hoops creating beautiful heirloom pieces.

Buratto work fills the center of the flower.

Appenzell is usually done on a fine Irish linen fabric with linen embroidery thread. The background consists of Buratto work, which is a grid or net type of needlework. True Appenzell embroidery will have lots of tiny five-petal flowers. The embroidery consists of a very fine satin-stitch embroidery and delicate seed stitches that are so tiny and exquisite, it’s hard to imagine it was done by hand. In fact, often women doing the embroidery worked under a magnifying glass. The satin stitching is used as a filer for various parts of the embroidery from full figures to the smallest flourish, or as a fine scallop along the border. Although Appenzell is considered whitework, often pieces will have a soft gray, silver or light blue shadow, which accents the fine stitching. In addition, the borders often are highlighted by a row or two of fine hemstitching.

Notice the tiny seed stitches in the bottom center of this towel.

Figures are commonly found in Appenzell embroidery, ranging from Victorian couples in all their finery to hunt scenes, or, less commonly, battle scenes. Sometimes children are depicted, or just a man or woman’s head. Pieces with figures are more desirable than, for example, a piece with just an urn of flowers, which is another common theme.

Appenzell embroidery is becoming harder and harder to find. It is also difficult to accurately identify a piece of true Appenzell, since similar types of work were done in other parts of Europe, particularly during the early 20th century. The most accurate way to verify a piece as true Appenzell is if it still carries the original label or tag. Since most labels were removed, however, it’s rare to find a piece with the label still attached. Most textile experts refer to pieces as Appenzell-style or Appenzell-type if the origin cannot be documented.

Delicate, five-pedal flowers are characteristic of Appenzell embroidery.

Lynda Kolski is a Worthologist who specializes in early linens and textiles.

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