RACK, DRYING

Description: DRYING RACK, WOODEN. COLLAPSABLE LATTICE WORK SIDES HELD TOGETHER BY STEEL NAILS. WHEN SIDES ARE EXPANDED AND VIEWED HEAD ON THEY FORM THE SHAPE OF ONE DIAMOND PLACED ON TOP OF ANOTHER DIAMOND. THE BOTTOM TWO SHAPES (ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BOTTOM DIAMOND) ARE TWO IRREGULAR QUADRILATERALS. BOTH OF THE LATTICE WORK SIDE PIECES ARE CONNECTED BY 17 DOWELS. THE SIDES OF THE RACK ARE REDDISH IN COLOR. THE WOOD IS DRIED OUT, WELL WORN AND PAINT SPATTERED. MEASUREMENT OF DRYING RACK TAKEN WHEN RACK IS EXPANDED.

History: ACCORDING TO THE DONOR, WENDY AITKENS IN AN INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY NICOLE HEMBROFF, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT, IN JULY OF 2011, THE CLOTHES RACK WAS "ALWAYS SET UP IN THE BASEMENT NEAR THE WASHER AND DRYER. CLOTHES WERE HUNG ON THIS OR THE OUTDOOR CLOTHES LINE TO DRY IN THE EARLY YEARS. WHILE WE NEVER STOPPED USIING THE LINE COMPLETELY, CLOTHES EVENTUALLY CAME OUT OF THE AUTOMATIC DRYER (WALLY JAMIESON [AITKEN'S FATHER] WAS PART OWNER IN A HOME APPLIANCE STORE SO MOM [KAY JAMIESON NEE FARRIES] WAS ONE OF THE FIRST WOMEN ON THE BLOCK TO OWN AN AUTOMATIC CLOTHES DRYER). THE AUTOMATIC DRYER WAS USED MOST OFTEN IN THE WINTER. ONCE THE CLOTHES WERE IRONED THEY HUNG ON THIS RACK. MY SISTER [MARGIE] AND I LEARNED TO IRON AS ONE OF OUR HOUSEHOLD CHORES. WE STARTED BY IRONING THE 'FLATS' LIKE PILLOW CASES AND MOVED UP TO BLOUSES AND PANTS EVENTUALLY. THIS RACK WAS MOVED TO CALGARY AND USED REGULARLY BY KAY. IT WAS LEFT IN THE HOUSE WHEN KAY AND WALLY SOLD IT TO LANNY [THE DONOR'S HUSBAND] AND WENDY. IT RETURNED T LETHBRIDGE WITH THEM IN 2008. WENDY COULDN'T USE THE RACK BECAUSE IT WAS SO WORN THAT THE WOOD WOULD LEAVE A RED STAIN ON CLOTHES." FOR FAMILY HISTORY SEE P20090030001.