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Antimacassar
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Chairs with antimacassars, Palmer House, Chicago, 1875
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Chairs with antimacassars, Palmer House, Chicago, 1875
Chairs with antimacassars, Palmer House, Chicago, 1875

Antimacassar

interior design
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•History

Antimacassar, protective covering thrown over the back of a chair or the head or cushions of a sofa, named after Macassar, a hair-oil in general use in the 19th century. The original antimacassars were made of stiff white crochet-work, but later soft, coloured materials, such as embroidered wools or silks, were used. In the 20th century the use of antimacassars largely died out.