A mangle board is a plank of wood used in the 16th to 20th centuries to smooth wrinkles in linen. Author of the book “Mangle Boards of Northern Europe: A Definitive To The Geographic Origins of Mangle Boards” Jay Raymond joins us for a presentation of his research on the objects, which he surveyed over 7,000 of from museums in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. The boards are not only functional but decorative, and Raymond studied and catalogued the aesthetic differences between regions. Join us to learn about these beautiful tools of the past, and stay for a Q&A with Raymond to ask any questions you might have about mangle boards or the process of writing and researching his book.

“When he was first asked to explore mangle boards, Mr. Raymond said. ‘I wasn’t naturally drawn to them, but the more I looked at them, the more I came to love them.’ At some European museums he visited, no one else had ever asked to examine these humble tools, which had been left behind by farmers emigrating to America.” – The New York Times

“The book is like a fine art museum, inviting you to go deeper, to look more closely. It feels fresh and ancient, all at once. The layout is just right, showcasing the text as well as the art. I get the sense of traveling back in time, from country to country, with this friendly and erudite curator showing the way.” – Reader

Saturday, October 17th | 1pm | free with registration

Jay graduated from Temple University with a degree in art. He studied at the Barnes Foundation in Merion, Pennsylvania, then taught in the art department there. He appeared in the documentary film The Art of the Steal, which examines the figures and forces behind the relocation, disfigurement, and commercialization of the art collection at the Barnes Foundation.
Raymond is editor of Pressing News, a publication of the Pressing Iron and Trivet Collectors of America. His first book, Streamlined Irons, was published in 2008.
His work life has also encompassed the jobs of heating mechanic and contractor, building inspector, handyman, and maître d’ of a vegan restaurant. He lives in Frenchtown, New Jersey.