Artist signed pieces are becoming more and more popular among linen collectors with vintage pieces by artist Vera Neumann setting the standard for warm but contemporary vintage designs. Neumann's pieces first gained popularity when her hand printed placemats were introduced to the public via Macy's department store in the 1960's. Fresh and interesting, it wasn't long before just about every home in America had at least one of her dish towels or table sets. Today collectors still find her simple, bold graphic elements and bright botanical motifs irresistable. Despite this, it is often difficult to find information and advise on collecting vintage Vera. This guide will provide some tips to help you recognize a rare find, as well as give you some guidelines when deciding how much you should pay for Vera pieces.

• Complete sets, for example matching placemats or napkins can be more difficult to find--often the napkins were used &/or laundered more frequently and so have faded more than the placemats. Expect to pay more for these pieces, but don't overlook the partial sets as pieces with similar themes or colors can look great when they are mixed and matched.
• As with most textiles, pieces with the original tags and labels still intact are the most valuable, but be careful to consider whether the unused pieces have storage damage. Yellowing and light marks are easy to clean, but very dark stains may be a sign of dry rot or other permanent damage. Be very careful with the products you use to clean these vintage items--while Vera prints are usually colorfast, care should be taken in removing stains and yellowing in order to extend their life. I often use Biz or Oxyclean to soak linens, but there is still a risk that colors may run--check for colorfastness before soaking and be prepared to soak for a long time (days!) if the pieces have not been laundered recently. One exception to this are Vera's silk scarves which, like most silks, will run when soaked. Plan on having silk items professionally dry cleaned!
• If you love Vera designs, don't limit yourself to table accessories. Vera produced gorgeous silk scarves (which can be framed and displayed anywhere in your home if you don't want to wear them), as well as dinnerware, clothing, fabric and wallpaper.
• Consider the age of the piece--the most collectible Vera designs feature her famous ladybug logo, but the size of the logo and accompanying signature can be clues to more accurately dating it.
   
  Generally speaking, the following timeline applies:  

• Early 1950's - small signature with no copyright or ladybug marks.
• Mid to late 50's - small signature with copyright symbol and ladybug.
• Early 60's - larger signature with copyright symbol and ladybug.
• Mid 60's thru 70's & 80's - signature becomes larger still, copyright symbol but no ladybug.
• 1993 (following Vera's death) to present - small signature with copyright mark.

As with anything you collect, concentrate on quality and buy the best pieces you can afford in the designs that speak to you the most. Vera pieces are always exciting and fun--that's how collecting them should feel!

Below, you'll find some links that will give you a head start when searching eBay for Vera collectibles:

Vera Neumann Linens      Collectible Vera Scarves