An antimacassar is a small cloth placed over the backs or arms of chairs, or the head or cushions of a sofa, to prevent soiling of the permanent fabric. The name is attributable to macassar oil, an unguent for the hair commonly used in the early 19th century. The fashion for oiled hair became so widespread in the Victorian and the Edwardian period that housewives began to cover the arms and backs of their chairs with washable crochet chair set cloths to preserve the fabric coverings from being soiled. Around 1850, these started to be known as antimacassars.

They came to have elaborate patterns, often in matching crochet chair sets for the various items of parlor furniture; many were made at home using a variety of techniques such as crochet or tatting. The original antimacassars were usually made of stiff white crochet-work, but in the third quarter of the 19th century they became simpler and softer, usually fabric embroidered with a simple pattern in wool or silk.

Chair Sets

Crochet

Crinoline Days Chair Set	Chair Back Set	Chair Back	Mesh Lace Chair Set #66	Mesh Chair Set	Bamboo Chair Set	Field of Wheat Chair Set
Antimacassar Set in Fancy Filet #63	Antimacassar in Filet Crochet #64	Antimacassar in Filet Crochet #65	Spread Eagle Chair Set	Block Party Runner & Chair Set	Blossom Time Chair Set	Colonnade Runner & Chair Set
Radiant Rose Runner & Chair Set	Pineapple Fan Chair Set	Butterfly and Rose Runner & Chair Set	Memories Chair Set	Tomorrow Chair Set	Rose of the Lea Chair Set	Heart's Ease Chair Set
Old Brocade Chair Set	Double Diamond Chair Set	Color Spree Chair Set	Swedish Princess Chair Set	Good Companions Chair Set	Double Header Chair Set	Show Your Colors Chair Set
Tropicale Chair Set	Triple Play Chair Set	White Magic Chair Set	Madame X Chair Set	Snowdrift Chair Set	Buckingham Chair Set	Lucky Star Chair Set
Chair Set	Chair Set	Serape Chair Set	Old Salem Chair Set	Marlborough Chair Set	Ashley Chair Set	Queen's Taste Chair Set
Pent House Chair Set	Flower Show Chair Set	Giant Mesh Chair Set	Williamsburg Chair Set	Tulip Chair Set	Windmill Chair Set	Chair Set
Chippendale Chair Set	North Star Chair Set	Maytime Chair Set	Matching Set	Flower Basket Chair Set	Irish Crochet Chair Set	Tri-Colored Stripe Chair Set
Stafford Chair Set	Crown Jewel Chair Set	Killarney Chair Set	Chair Set	Chair Set	Chair Set	Chair Set
Wheel of Fortune Chair Set	Filet Living Room Set	Formal Living Room Set	Chair Set	Chair Set	Bird and Flower Chair Set	Chariot Wheel Chair Set
Tri-Colored Octagon Chair Set	Chair Set	Chair Set	Afghan Stitch Chair Set	Flowery Chair Set	Casement Chair Back	Peasant Chair Set
Plant Chair Set	Bird and Tree Chair Set	Two-Colored Chair Set	Stained Glass Chair Set	Shell Stitch Oval Set	Mosaic Antimacassar Set	Cala Lily Chair Set in Shadow Filet
Tri-Colored Diamond Chair Set	Star Wheel Chair Set	Pansy Chairback Set #R2618	Mesh Lace Chair Set	Chair Set	Chair Set	Garden Walk Chair Set & Runner
Caravel Chair Set	Cabbage Rose Chairback Set #R2979	Chair Set	Chair Set	Chair Set	Bright Cluster Chair Set	Daisy Chair Set
Moderne Chair Set	Checker Filet Chair Set	Basket Filet Chair Set	Pineapple Chair Set	Pineapple Chair Set	Rose Motif Set	Chair Back Set
Davenport Set	Pineapple Fan Chair Set

Hairpin Lace

Hairpin Lace Chair Set	Hairpin Lace Chair Set	Studio Couch Cover

Furniture Covers

Four Star Chair Set	Cottage Chair Set	Colonial Chair Set	Chair Seat	Chair Seat	Chair Pads	Slip Cover for Chair Seat
Foot Stool	Popcorn Man Stool Cover	Footstool Cover	Bedroom Bench Cover	Needlepoint Crochet Seat Cover	Trailing Vine Chair Seat Cover	Seat Pad
Place Mats and Chair Pad Covers	Chair Seat Cover	Bathroom Bench Cover	Kitchen Set	Striped Kitchen Set	Apple Orchard Set	Stool Cover
Seat & Bench Cover	Seat & Bench Cover	Place Mats & Chair Pad Covers	Tweed Chair Seat Cover	Seat & Bench Cover	Seat & Bench Cover	Lemon Grove Set
Shaded Squares Loop Stitch Set	Tie-On Chair Set	Grecian Block Seat Cover	Seat & Bench Cover	Kitchen Set	Footstool