This damask, red-and-white floral pattern tablecloth dates to the late 1800s. The red color is faded, evidence of being washed over time. The tablecloth was among several Stevens family artifacts found in the Isaac Stevens House (c. 1789) when the Museum acquired the house in 1957. The family and their descendants continually lived in the house up until that date. Throughout the Victorian period and into the early 20th century, damask tablecloths such as this were popular. Damask is a lustrous fabric woven to create a pattern of two contrasting colors and two textures, with flat patterns on a plain-woven background. It can be of linen, cotton, or silk. Damasked linen was designed for formal dinners, set by candlelight, which accented the cloth’s sheen and design.