Linen is a strong, cool textile woven from the fibres of the flax plant. It is one of the oldest fabrics known, valued for its strength, absorbency and soft lustre, and in the antiques world the word covers both the cloth itself and the household textiles made from it, such as sheets, pillowcases, tablecloths, napkins and towels.
Flax was grown and processed across Europe for centuries, with Ireland, Flanders and the Low Countries particularly renowned for fine linen. Before cheap cotton became widespread in the nineteenth century, a well-stocked linen press was a mark of a prosperous household, and pieces were often embroidered with initials, dates or monograms as part of a bride's trousseau. Antique damask tablecloths with woven patterns, hand-embroidered whitework and heavy French and Hungarian sheets are all popular with collectors and decorators. Good examples have a dense, even weave and soften with age without losing their body, while staining, holes and weak areas along old folds reduce value. Today antique linen is used for upholstery, curtains, cushions and bedding in country-house and relaxed rustic interiors, where its natural texture and slightly irregular slubs are much admired.
