In my novel, ASTOR PLACE VINTAGE, the story hinges on a journal that is found sewn inside the lining of a fur muff. So it seems only right to present some background about fur muff fashion. Muffs were mentioned in text from the 1400s, and one of the earliest images of one is in an engraving from 1588. In the 1600s both men and women used muffs. Since fur was not as easily attainable, they were more typically made out of silk or satin and might...

“I snuggled my hands inside the muff. Something hard pressed against my knuckle. Strange. I looked inside. The black satin lining had been torn at the seam and mended closed with uneven stitches. Had someone sewn something in there?” –from ASTOR PLACE VINTAGE   I’ve begun a new Pinterest board of fur muffs matched up with quotes from books mentioning “muffs” from the same era. Here’s a couple:   Source:...