Product Description:

This elegant 19th-century inspired Quaker Lace tablecloth, dating back to 1951, features a timeless White House design in a soft cream hue. Measuring 60×84 inches, this vintage piece showcases intricate lace detailing, perfect for adding a touch of classic sophistication to your dining experience. Ideal for special occasions or as a cherished heirloom, it blends historical charm with delicate craftsmanship.

1951 vintage Quaker Lace tablecloth, specifically an off-white cotton oblong rectangle design. Quaker Lace tablecloths are known for their durability and beauty and have been sought-after items since the late 19th century when the Quaker Lace Company made opulent, machine-crafted lace more affordable.

This pattern, the “White House” design (pattern #6280, published January 1951), gained popularity after being used in the White House during the Eisenhower era.

This elegant 19th-century inspired Quaker Lace tablecloth, dating back to 1951, features a timeless White House design in a soft cream hue.

• Measuring 60×84 inches, this vintage piece showcases intricate lace detailing, perfect for adding a touch of classic sophistication to your dining exper
• Key features of Quaker Lace tablecloths include:
• Material: made from a cotton blend,
• with Dacron
• Design: features
• intricate floral patterns,
• Manufacturing:
• Machine-made to replicate the look of handmade lace, making it more accessible.

History of Quaker Lace 

The Quaker Lace Company was established in 1889 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, initially as the Bromley Manufacturing Company, founded by the sons of English immigrant and carpet weaver John Bromley. Leveraging profits from their carpet business, the Bromleys imported lace-weaving machinery and skilled weavers from Nottingham, England, to pioneer large-scale lace production in America. In 1894, the company reorganized as the Lehigh Manufacturing Company, operating a mill at 4th and Lehigh Streets. It was officially incorporated as Quaker Lace Company in 1911, becoming a leader in the U.S. lace industry.

Known for its Nottingham lace, Quaker Lace gained prominence by making luxurious lace affordable through machine-crafted designs, appealing to middle-class homes and fashion. The company expanded with factories, including one at 22nd and Lehigh, claimed to be the world’s largest at the time. During the 1950s, it supplied fine lace tablecloths to the White House, notably during the Eisenhower era. Post-World War II, it focused almost exclusively on tablecloths, a product it became famous for, even after shifting production to plants in Maine and Lionville, Pennsylvania, as the original Philadelphia looms ceased in the 1980s.

Despite innovations like durable, wash-resistant lace, the company faced challenges from changing consumer tastes and the decline of department stores, its main retailers. It declared bankruptcy in 1992 and was liquidated in 1993, with its Philadelphia mill later destroyed by fire in 1994. The site now hosts the Julia de Burgos Middle School.