Six Mind-boggling Cocktail Napkins
Will you decipher this bizarre iconography for me? You
see the cocktail glass... the television... the top-hatted gentleman...
(is he tipsy or in the midst of a little soft shoe routine?)...
the lovely houseplant...
Just what the heck is going on here???
Is this the international symbol for "The Dean Martin Show," presented
in napkin form? Or a textile rendition of a Foster Brooks TV special? (Was there such a thing?) Or some
kind of Absolut vodka ad campaign which never got off the ground? I'm stumped.
In fact, the more I stare at these little guys, the more peculiar they
seem to me. (These daiquiris I'm sipping don't seem to be helping, either...)
Whatever it is that they signify, they sure are cute as the dickens.
They measure roughly 6 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches. All six are in beautiful shape:
lime (or chartreuse, if you like) linen or cotton (no label, sorry!), elaborate
scalloped edges, neatly edged in white stitching. Though I haven't a clue
as to their age, I'd have to guess they're from the '50s, or perhaps early
'60s. This particular shade of green practically screams '50s to
me, but the TV looks like a '60s model. The perplexing yet charming TV
motif is VERY neatly embroidered, almost flat when folded so your martini
won't tip over. Here's an image of the back, see what I mean?
From the condition of the napkins, however, I'd say that they've
never actually been used for their intended purpose! (Certainly they've
never been touched by a sweaty glass in my home! We just place them
on the table and stare at them, trying to divine their secret...)