Wednesday, October 14, 2009

VTT - Antique Parlors & Rug Beaters



This is an advertising postcard ©1910 by the Como Co. Chi. It has a September 1910 calendar and advertises parlor furniture and furnishings. I don't have any other similar postcards, but I believe there were probably designs for all the months of the year, and that the space at the bottom would have been imprinted for a number of stores. This particular postcard was sent by the John Klein Co. of Mankato, Minnesota. The card was worth a dollar towards a purchase in that store during the month of September.

Here is what the postcard says about parlor furnishings of that era:

The Parlor used to be a dark, prim and uncomfortable room, a place where hostess and guests sat together in stiffnecked misery — but now we let the sunshine in — parlor furniture like people is becoming more humane — beauty and comfort are first considerations and the parlor is a room in which to live and be happy. Let us show you parlor furniture and furnishing which minister to comfort and enhance home pleasures. We take an intelligent interest in our customers needs.
I don't know about you, but I think this parlor still looks dark and uncomfortable.

There is a good possibility that owners of such a parlor would have used rug beaters on their area rug. Sweeping carpets only removes some surface dirt, and small portable electric vacuum cleaners had not yet become common. By hanging the rug outdoors and beating the back, much of the embedded dirt could be removed.



I bought these rug beaters shortly after I read a magazine article about a collection of rug beaters. That probably was about the same time that there was an exhibition and a newspaper article "ANTIQUES: Whomp! Thwack! Thump! A Tribute to the Rug Beater." I wanted the rug beaters just because I liked the design and thought they would look nice hanging on a wall, but I actually did use them to beat my braided area rug.

23 comments:

  1. Your post today is really good and vintage. Glad you shared as I have not thought of rug beater in years.

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  2. Wow very interesting! Thanks for sharing the info about the rug beaters.

    Jocelyn
    http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com

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  3. very interesting post! neat rug beaters

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  4. I love vintage postcards and this one is very interesting. I agree that the parlor does not look very inviting or comfortable!
    Jane

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  5. I can remember the rug beaters that my grandmother had..yours sure brought back some memories. :).
    Thans and happy VTT...

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  6. Parlor! Just that word alone makes me sit up straight. And they usually had vinyl covers to keep everything pristine. I was a thrift store recently and there was a vanity bench with clear vinyl on it and when I lifted it, it looked like the chair had never been uncovered!

    Maybe that's why I'm all about "use what you have". Why save it for a special day?

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  7. what a FAB post!!..i agree with you that parlour's way to dark & dingy!..LOVE your rug beaters they're adorable!!

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  8. Now that is vintage girl! Great post! Now if I see a rug beater I will know what it is! lol

    Vintage Thingie Thursday!
    Angela

    ps My word verification is
    gyngsta!
    gangsta!

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  9. That furniture looks pretty uncomfortable to me too, definitely for the stiff-neck set!
    I remember reading about rug beating in novels but how bad is that for my asthma, not happening.

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  10. Cool postcard and rug beaters! I really enjoy visiting your blog each week for VTT and learning something new!

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  11. The advertising postcard is great. That furniture doesn't look very comfortable to me either.

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  12. The stiff-necked peope didn't know what comfortable means, if the postcard is supposed so show a comfortable parlor. I have a rattan rug beater, not yet vintage, but used only for special occasions (I'm a lazy cleaner!).

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  13. Really neat post. Thanks for sharing!

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  14. Victorian interiors were kind of gloomy.... I think I would have had seasonal affective disorder year round

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  15. Your rug beaters are so neat! I love the postcard at the top! The colors are just making me happy1

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  16. I think any parlor that didn't include horsehair furniture would be a great improvement and looks like that picture's parlor would do the trick!

    Rug beating is still very routine around here (though not in my house :)-usually with cane beaters...they're not nearly as cool as yours!

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  17. I always wanted a rug beater, but never came across any that I was willing to pay the price for...I have not seen any in a long time. As always, great vintage post. Have a great weekend and a wonderful VTT!

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  18. Yes, I agree, that parlor is dark and uncomfortable looking. I like Victorian, but I like the lighter shades of pinks and creams. Very cool post! thanks for coming by to visit.

    Debbie

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  19. That bench looks downright painful. Thanks for stopping by my blog! I love your postcards and will be checking out those bird ones soon!

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  20. Very interesting post cards! I think they are great - a slice of life in the moment!
    Thanks for the education.
    QCI

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  21. That is one informative post card!

    I bet the rug beaters work much better than 12 year olds wielding brooms! Won't try that one again ;)

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  22. Aren't you glad we live in 2009 with the living rooms of today? I sure am after seeing that. Great vintage thingy! Those are pretty rug beaters. I like the designs too!

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  23. Love that postcard with the date on it 1910! Oh those rug beaters would
    work nice on my throw rugs, I will
    have to find a vintage one when I am
    out treasure hunting!

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