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READERS' FEEDBACK: Antimacassars
From: Cloago@aol.com
DearMYRTLE,
By now, you may have gotten the answer but here's my answer for you.
antimacassar
n: a piece of ornamented cloth that protects the back of the chair from hair
oils.
Macassar, a brand of hair oil
[From the American Heritage Dictionary of the
English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
All rights reserved.]
In your reminiscences of yesteryear, canning etc.,
remember the curtain stretchers that had long pins all around the area where you
wanted to stretch the curtains. You struggled to fit those wet fine net
curtains, called glass curtains, over the pins and made sure the size you had
set when you put the contraption together would be the correct size. They dried
in the sunshine in a short amount of time and then you moved on to another pair
of curtains.
Also the carpets were taken up and hung over the
clothes line and beaten with your energy and a wire beater.
Thanks for the memories.
Clara Obern
PS. If any of your readers had ancestors struggling in the war in 1776 they
should read David McCullough's book "1776." It's fantastic!
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From: SusanE1113@aol.com
DearMYRTLE,
Greatly enjoy your communications. The doily things over the chair backs and
arms are called antimacassars. The dictionary says there was an oily hair
preparation imported from Macassar, hence anti-macassar, to protect the chair
from the Macassar stuff. Huh! Brings to mind the commercials I remember from
childhood about some hair preparation being better than "greasy kid
stuff" or something. Must have been about the vintage of the Burma-Shave
signs.
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From: MamaBank@aol.com
DearMYRTLE,
ANTIMACASSAR
If you want to protect your furniture from everyday use, this fabric headrest is
just perfect. The olden day name for them is 'antimacassar', and they are
machine washable & available in a choice of colours. As well as protecting
your furniture, they can instantly give your room a face lift. -- I
think this is the word you want.
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From: Roy T. Beck
DearMYRTLE,
The word you are thinking of is "antimacassar". These were cloth
pieces (knitted, woven, etc) placed on chair arms and backs. The term macassar
refers to hair oil of that name which would soil the chair backs. Macassar oil
was said to have been made from ingredients obtained from Macassar, a seaport on
SW Celebes, in central Indonesia. (I call them doilies.) Keep up the good work.
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From: gloriamlh@juno.com
DearMYRTLE,
antimacassar
Macassar was a brilliantine that men used in their hair in Victorian days. It
got all over the high-backed horsehair sofas and chairs leaving a shiny greasy
mark, so 'antimacassars' were used, the doilies mentioned. As you see I am not
sure of the spelling but i am sure of the facts...<BG> love your
columns... Trivia buff, Gloria.
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From: Christine Bauman
DearMYRTLE,
They were named antimacassars, after a hair oil for men. Here's an article:
Oddly Named Home Furnishings by LC Van Savage
http://www.vansavage.com/2000/antimacassar.shtml
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From: Christine A Barnes genealogy@meovoto.co.uk
DearMYRTLE,
In answer to your question about the lace doilies that protect the back and arms
of chairs and sofas, the word you are looking for is "antimacassar."
My parents still use them and you can still buy them – at least in England!
(Although not called antimacassars anymore.) I am one of your overseas readers
from England and always enjoy your column. I can only picture some of the
stories but love hearing readers recollections. -- Best regards, Christine.
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From Bjsgen@aol.com
DearMYRTLE,
They have several sets of antimacassars on sale at http://search.ebay.com/Antimacassar.
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From: Psternemann1@aol.com
DearMYRTLE,
Those hand-crochet lace things were called antimacassars because they protected
the headrest from the macassar oil that men used to put in their hair. Phyllis,
too young to remember, but old enough to investigate)
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From: Shirley
DearMYRTLE,
I finally found it in the 1917 Webster's Dictionary:
"antimacassar n. A cover to protect the back
or arms of a chair, sofa, etc., from Macasser oil or other oil from the
hair."
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From: MzPanzie@aol.com
DearMYRTLE,
antimacassar
Macassar oil was an imported hair oil for men, way back in the day.
Macassar is a region of the island of Celebes.
When the men sat in a chair, it would leave an oily
residue. No housekeeper worth her salt would allow that, the doily called anti-macassar,
was invented. It kept the oil off the furniture and Mrs. Housewife happy.
Joyce
PS - Never a canner, only a canner's helper.
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DearREADERS,
A BIG thank-you also to Gail, Margaret, Shirley, Dunkhart@aol.com, Joleen,
Cheryl, Elaine, Judy, Eugenia, Jean, Lois, Dolly, Patt, Barb, Caroline, Lupian,
Judy, and 2 others whose email I deleted by mistake. It's especially wonderful
to have definitions provided that included:
-- personal recollections
-- source citations (as good genealogists must practice!)
-- links to articles about antimacassars
-- links to pictures of the antimacassars
You all are wonderful.
Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE
6023 26th Street West PMB 352
Bradenton, FL 34207 | 
