Historical information

Marghab Linens Ltd. was a company specialising in table linens founded on Madeira in 1933 by British Cypriot Emile Marghab and his South Dakotan wife Vera (née Way); and disestablished in 1980.The company was also known as Emile Marghab Inc.
Since 1850, when Madeiran natives were introduced to hand embroidery as a means of industry, the islands had been renowned for their needlework. The Marghabs took advantage of this reputation, producing textiles that were skilfully hand-embroidered on the highest quality Irish linen and a form of organdie called Margandie, made in Switzerland, and harder wearing than usual organdie. The linens were designed by Vera, and hand-embroidered as a home industry by the women on Madeira, who Vera insisted received payment per stitch - which for a single place mat could amount to seventy thousand stitches.

Physical description

Pale grey linen hand towel with white embroidery, cutwork and applique. The design is of a tree with blossoms.