guides or web sites regarding collectible tablecloths?

[grasswire]

I have some real doozies that I am ready to part with and need to identify a manufacturer if possible when no tag exists.

I got these about ten years ago at a second-hand store run by a Mennonite family. They simply buy up whole house contents around the countryside and then sell everything at extremely reasonable prices with really no regard to collectible value. Of course the place is picked as clean as a pork chop bone these days, but that one day I happened to have a meeting with Lady Luck.

I was stupid, too.

I spotted a whole shelf full of gorgeous bright collectible tablecloths in like-new condition. Three bucks each. I picked up the one with the cherries on it, and set it down to motion to my pal to come over. Someone saw me do that, and the cherry tablecloth was instantly in the arms of someone else.

But I got all the other ones. Some have jadeite color, even!

A dealer scolded me a couple of years ago for having one on the everyday dinner table with teenagers in the house. She was right. I need to get value from these.

So I need to learn some more.

[Vinca]

1. I just googled "tablecloth collectors" and a bunch of great sites came up.

Apparently there's a whole club devoted to them. http://www.vintagetableclothsclub.com/join.htm

and this also looks like a promising site -
http://www.gramasattic.net/

Boy oh boy am I jealous!!

[grasswire]

2. yeah, I was up way too late last night looking at tablecloths.

What I want to find out is how to identify the particular brands by design when there is no tag.

Wow, there are some beauties for sale on the Internet.

[eleny]

3. Did you see the Grandma's Attic Blog?

I got there via the second link in Vinca's reply.

There's an article dated October 25, 2008 titled "Dating Your Vintage Tablecloth Collection". I haven't read it ll the way through but it looks like a good guide to start. http://gramasattic.wordpress.com/

I love old tablecloths from the 40s and 50s like the ones my family used. I've found a bunch at the local thrift shops. Sometimes they're misplaced among the fabrics or pillowcases instead of with the tablecloths and aprons.

I suppose some collect certain companies like Vera. But my guess would be that people purchase by colors, patterns and condition more than manufacturer.