Felt is said to be the oldest of all manmade materials, produced by the simple but laborious process of pressing together wool water and soap. Old scraps of felt have been discovered dating back almost 9000 years, predating weaving with origins in the Neolithic period. Felt is as relevant today as it always has been with a wide and versatile range of uses including, as a dampener in the automotive industry, decorations, clothing, children’s toys, in drum kits, pianos, assorted musical instruments and billiards tables. But it is perhaps its older and more traditional uses that hold the most allure for the collector. Historically felt was and still is used as a source of warmth and shelter being made into shoes, hats, clothes, tent coverings, doors, blankets, rugs and votive images. Felt has long been used between the Balkans and Mongolia where it has played an important role in the lives of many nomadic peoples. In Anatolia in central Turkey felt is thought to have been made since the
