You might have noticed that I like books, especially second-hand books!
Usually I buy a book at boot sales or charity sales because it's one I've not seen before and I'm curious to find out what's in it. Sometimes I see a book mentioned somewhere that sounds good and if it's old and the library haven't got it then a search on Amazon or Abe Books might turn it up although it has to be cheap
Almost all the books used for the folklore and other posts on the blog have been found over the years from car-boot sales, charity shops or the bigger charity book sales.
I've now got books on all sorts of random subjects -like the Ogham Tree Alphabet; Why we change our clocks for Summer Time; Honey; The History of Vegetables; Wassailing; Saints and the list could go on.
But this book found at a recent boot sale for £1 must be one of the oddest subjects...... All about a lady who designed Tea Towels for the National Trust.
I've not had a good look at it yet but I'm sure it will make a blog post sometime! and then what a strange coincidence as I was watching Bargain Hunt on Friday lunch time, they had a lady who was in the Guinness Book of Records for owning the largest collection of tea-towels and she was asked about her favourites and she said that those designed by Pat Albeck for the National Trust were the best!
Back Tomorrow
Sue
Pat Albeck designed some lovely cloths and her son Matthew Rice, also a designer is married to Emma Bridgwater who produces lovely pottery, although not as inexpensive as it used to be. So a talented family. Sarah Browne.
ReplyDeleteI shall have to look up Matthew Rice - don't know the name
DeleteI looked him up and discovered I have a book of his too - one about village buildings
DeleteWell there's an unusual job! The artistic streak has been passed on too.
ReplyDeleteThere are some lovely illustrations in the book
DeleteMy daughter collects tea clothes as well. They are very colourful but the one that always amazes me is the Mary one. Somehow drying plates on this towel with the face of the Virgin mother always worries me.
ReplyDeleteThe lady on Bargain Hunt had over 1,400, she had them all hanging up and uses them in rotation
DeleteThere are some great tea towels around. I didn't know about Pat Albeck - but I like her son Matthew's artwork
ReplyDeleteMy Mum had lots of new unused that I rescued when we cleared the house but now with a dishwasher I don't use many
DeleteI agree with that lady. My last Pat Albeck tea towel is a 2019 calendar which she designed for the National Trust. I have lots of Pat’s tea towels as I have been buying them from NT shops since I became a Life Member in 1981 and as the pure linen (they must be woven from Irish linen) tea towels improve with age I have never knowingly thrown one away. Looking forward to seeing inside the book. Sarah in Sussex
ReplyDeleteI prefer linen tea towels too - can't stand those fluffy things.
DeleteI like coincidences.
ReplyDeleteIt was quite odd to see 'my' book on TV just a week or so after finding it at a boot sale when previously I'd never even known there was such a thing as a specialist designer of tea towels
DeleteI can't imagine having 1400 tea towels hanging up ready to be used. Perhaps she has a large kitchen.
ReplyDeleteIt looked as if she'd had special cupboards built for them - but what a lot!
DeleteYou, and all her other fans, might enjoy this article.
ReplyDeletehttps://bibleofbritishtaste.com/back-to-the-drawing-board-pat-albeck
Thank you for the link
DeleteI love books like this-it’s so interesting to find out who designs things that we may use everyday. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI seem to have lots of quirky books now
DeleteI’d love to find a copy of Pat Albecks book! I have many of her tea towels…lovely illustrations! As are her son’s!
ReplyDeleteThis was the only book that the lady on the boot sale had for sale which is how I spotted it on her table
DeleteDesigning tea towels is definitely niche. And she seems to have a following in here!
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to ask, who's the artist of your header picture?
ReplyDeleteSomeone said who it was the other day - I'll see if I can find it. It was a postcard I had for a while
DeleteFOUND IT Reading by the window, Hastings by Charles James Lewis 1830-1892 (Bridgeman Art Library)
DeleteThank you! Can you add that credit, at least the artist's name, to your header. Us artists have to get each other credited even long after we've died!
DeleteI do like coincidences like that, and it's amazing how often they happen isn't it. I would have bought that book for £1 too, I bet it was a lot more expensive new.
ReplyDeleteI thought what a strange subject for a book but sounds as if many people know about her
DeleteThat's exactly the sort of book I would find irresistible, especially at that bargain price!
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
Yes I wouldn't have paid more!
DeleteWhat a coincidence! I bet tea towels are popular there. I collected pretty linen hand towels (for low prices at resale shops) and have used them to make a valance for my bedroom. It looks great!
ReplyDeleteNow so many people have dishwashers I guess tea-towels are not used so often
DeleteIt always used to be a 'thing' for people to bring back tea towels from holiday as gifts, didn't it. Personally, I never saw the appeal! I've bought too many second hand books (novels) recently - not a good idea as we're supposed to be decluttering! My reader neighbour who I swap books with doesn't want any at the moment, as she's not reading much but is painting instead. So it looks like they'll be going back to the charity shop.
ReplyDeleteMy grandma always brought one back for Mum and vice versa!
DeletePA seems quite famous for her beautiful tea towels. National Trust knows talent and chose well.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that the NT had a specific tea-towel designer for many years
DeleteThat's fascinating, really. I wonder how the job came to be? And why would someone collect tea towels? I mean, I do love beautiful things, but my best loved things are utilitarian. My favorite coffee cup is a bright orange and the handle fits just right. My favorite knife has a rainbow blade and holds an edge. My favorite cutting board was made by my tather years ago. My mother baked years of Easter bunny cakes in the round cake pans I still own. Tea towels? They are just as stained and well used as anything else in the kitchen. Fascinating. Off to read about Pat Allbeck!
ReplyDeleteAmazing, amazing coincidence! I'm just shaking my head.
ReplyDeleteI looked up Pat Albeck, which took me to the Etsy site, where to my amazement there are collectable vintage tea-towels for sale. Some go for £60 or more, so the tea-towel mountain in my airing cupboard may be worth a fortune!
ReplyDeleteI love books as well, the more the merrier is my motto. Not my Hubby's though.
ReplyDeleteHow very interesting that someone would collect enough tea towels to be in the Guinness Record book.
God bless.
God bless.