COLLECTABLES

JOHN MCPHEE SHEDS FRESH LIGHT ON CLASSIC MID-CENTURY CURTAINS.

PLEASE SEE

the attached images of my two beautiful Frances Burke curtains (size of both 1.575m x 2.16m). My mother tells the story of when she made a special trip into Melbourne to buy them from a small shop in Hardware Lane in 1954. Although the back has discoloured with age, the front design is like new. Should they be cleaned and, if so, where can I get it done safely? Have I been storing away a valuable artwork or just a beautiful piece of material with a nice story that my mother tells?

Sally Day, Bacchus Marsh, Victoria

Crete, the design shown, is one of my favourite designs by Frances Burke, whose shop in Hardware Lane between Bourke Street and Lonsdale Street was a magnet for those wanting Australian-designed textiles in the 1950s. An example of the fabric features in a large collection of Burke’s textiles in the National Gallery of Australia collection. I once had the pleasure of talking to her about this design. She said it had been inspired by carved and painted patterns she saw while travelling in Crete. She went on to tell me that she had been thrilled when a workman passing the shop called in to talk about patterns he recognised from his homeland.

If the cotton is strong, handwash in warm, soapy water. Then rinse thoroughly and dry in the shade. Iron them and you will have a splendid pair of curtains. Vintage textiles, especially mid-century modern, are all the rage and of great interest to collectors. But the value depends on whether someone else has the same-size window!