Openwork Linen Table Runner

Crafted in Northern Portugal around 1900, this vintage Portuguese linen table runner reflects the quiet elegance of domestic craft. Entirely handmade, it combines bobbin lace with openwork embroidery, forming a rhythmic composition of floral and geometric motifs that capture light with delicate precision.

The rectangular layout centers around a symmetrical arrangement of lace panels framed by scalloped edges. Each motif alternates between fullness and transparency — a dialogue between patience and design. Every detail tells of a time when textiles were made to serve, endure, and be cherished across generations.

This vintage Portuguese linen table runner was likely part of a dowry or trousseau, preserved with care as a symbol of devotion and skill. The linen remains soft yet structured. The lace edges hold their original integrity — proof of its meticulous preservation.

The piece is in pristine vintage condition, showing almost no signs of age beyond the gentle patina of time. Its craftsmanship captures the refinement of Portuguese artisanship at the turn of the 20th century, when lace and embroidery became both ornament and language — passed quietly from hand to hand.

Now part of Collection III: Archives of the Everyday, this table runner honors that lineage. It transforms a simple act — setting a table — into a gesture of continuity, care, and enduring beauty