Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object ID # |
1984.015.001 |
Object Name |
Towel, Dish |
Title |
Linen Tea Towel Advertising McKay Brothers |
Lexicon category |
5: T&E For Science & Technology |
Date |
Early 1980s |
Artist |
Brown's Linens |
Made |
Brown's Linens |
Place of Origin |
Unknown |
Description |
This is a linen tea towel, that was woven with a red band that has "MADE SPECIALLY FOR McKAY BROTHERS OWEN SOUND PURE LINEN". In the early 1980s, McKay Bros. drygoods store at Owen Sound was still selling these tea towels, so the museum specially purchased this example. The towel still has the ovoid printed paper adhesive label on it that it had in the store. This identifies it as a product of Brown's Linens. The store price sticker of $2.49 is still present near this label. [Linen tea towel with green border.] Towel is the same as 1994.013.023 (see RELATED) but may not be this number as it is described in the paper record as having a green border. |
Makers mark |
Printed adhesive label has a shamrock trademark and "Brown's Linens" |
Provenance |
Custom-woven for the McKay Brothers Drygoods store of Owen Sound, Grey County, in the early 1980s. The store sold them to customers and they were located along Main Street. The tea towel was never used, but was purchased by the County of Grey-Owen Sound Museum for its collection in 1984. A 1976 newspaper article, "Shopping at McKay's A Visit to the Past", mentions that "Tourists take home each summer Glen Cree mohair throws, white Irish damask linen table clothes and special linen tea towels with the slogan, "Made Especially for McKay Brothers, Owen Sound". - - - - Armitage, Andrew, "Shopping at McKay's A Visit to the Past", THE OWEN SOUND SUN-TIMES, Sat. Jan. 10, 1976, p. 5. |
Collection |
Textiles, Household Linens Collection |
Material |
Linen/Cotton/Dye/Thread/Paper/Ink |
Found |
Owen Sound, Grey County |
People |
McKay, Tom |
Subjects |
Owen Sound Business Owen Sound Businesses Towels |
Search Terms |
McKay Brothers Dry Goods Owen Sound Businesses |