The following were handed down to me from my father's side of the family. His New Jersey family wasn't great at preserving things – photos and letters, too – but when I was 12 years old I was able to keep my father from tossing these and other things in the trash. Sadly I have no idea to whom some belonged or how old they may be.

This lace collar was worn by my grandmother, Florence Helene Koller Reynolds, circa 1906, (117 years old). This could be tatting. (I inherited my red hair from both grandmothers.)

I don't know who in my family wore this silk blouse but it appears to be sewn entirely by hand.

Note the fagoting.



This silk, monogrammed handkerchief was likely carried by one of my grandparents in their 1906 wedding.

This bonnet is discolored and extremely fragile, and split in some areas. I could have steamed the bonnet and ties to lie flat but was fearful of causing more harm.

Some tatting and one baby bootie (for a boy).


An unused piece of lace and the waistband I removed from my grandmother's wedding dress (1906) so I could wear it in 1981. I sold the dress in the mid-80s.

An auction house for textiles was recommended to me and I will contact them to see if they can evaluate the worth of any of these items and perhaps auction them for a profit for me. Even though my first degree was in Clothing and Textiles (Kent State U.) and I took grad courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NewYork, it hadn't occurred to me to consider an auction house dedicated solely to textiles.

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