Congoleum Carpet

sanctuary furniture

Evidently Sally is not extravagant, not since it became known that she only paid $16.20 for this superb new Congoleum carpet.  This ad is from 1922 and Congoleum made some very artistic ads from the 20's through the 30's showcasing their linoleum carpets.  The carpets themselves are basically just a large sheet of linoleum with fabulous designs printed on them.  Naturally these carpets were quite popular in the South where a standard wool carpet would have been too warm and too much hassle to clean and maintain.  Linoleum carpets were easy to just sweep and be done with with, occasionally running a mop over them to restore the luster. 

Linoleum has long since gone by the wayside in favor of vinyl tile which is a shame, linoleum has a durability unmatched by any tile product even ceramic.  The beautiful linoleum carpets of yesteryear are but a memory now, preserved in these ads and by fragments in old houses like the picture above.  This was in the dining room of a house I was looking to buy downtown.  Built in 1926, I doubt anyone had done a thing to the house since it was built.  The wiring was original, as was the plumbing and windows.  And preserved, at least for the moment, was this little corner of beautiful flooring that has been forgotten over the years.

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