When women wore long dresses (and people owned few clothes) very, very large napkins were required to protect clothing. The most valuable ones are very old and large... 36" or more. Rectangular ones are sometimes called "lapkins" because they cover the lap.

22" is considered to be the minimum acceptable size for dinner napkins, and for a formal dinner, that is the benchmark. However, if you have ever spread out an 18" napkin (or an 18" ruler across your lap,) you will find how surprisingly large it can be and how much lap it can cover. The photo below compares a large 22" napkin with an enormous and rare 37" mid-19th century French napkin, item 9311

ALL NAPKINS all sizes | NAPKINS 12-20" | Cocktail NAPKINS

Dinner Napkins, 20" and Larger

20625

	Description	Size	Item No.	No. Items in Set	Price
	(for Cocktail napkins Click Here)
	Historic and Glorious Dozen Antique Linen Damask Napkins from French Castle, c.1850	27x37"	9311	12	$500
	Spectacular Unused, Unmade Set of Antique Irish Linen Damask 24x26" Napkins on Bolt	24x26"	10004	1 bolt	$150
	Spectacular Set of Seven White Linen Damask Napkins, 36x38" with Royal Crown, Dated 1907	36x38"	10902	7	$1,200
	Gorgeous Set of Eleven Antique White Linen Damask 20" Dinner Napkins with Daisy Pattern and Monogram	20"	16953	11	$80
	Sublime and Exquisite Set of Sixteen 19th century Linen Damask 36x45.5" Napkins, dated 1817, like nothing you have ever seen	36x45.5"	18005	16	$2,800
	Superb Set of Seven White Linen Damask Napkins, 27x28" with "EW" monogram, Saxon Provenance	27x28"	18022	7	$895
	A Superb Set of Four Antique Off-White Linen 21" Napkins Embroidered with Punchwork Mosaic Fruit	21"	20631	4	$48
	A Lovely Set of Ten Antique Beige Linen 22" Napkins or Guest Towels Embroidered with "GVM" monogram	22"	20635	10	$30
	A Gorgeous Antique French Linen Jacquard Tablecloth heavy damask floral pattern 60x92" Embroidered with two "HA" monograms, Eleven napkins 29x25"	29x25"	21060	12	$575
	A Rare, Exquisite and Grand Dozen Antique Dinner Napkins woven with the Monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1941	38x35"	21207	12	$1,800 SOLD
	A Rare, Exquisite and Grand Set of Eleven Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1941	38x35"	21208	11	$1,650
	A Rare, Exquisite and Grand Set of Six Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1941	38x35"	21209	6	$900
	A Rare, Exquisite and Grand Dozen Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1940, Center Medallion Design	38x35"	21210	12	$1,800 SOLD
	Rare, Exquisite and Grand Dozen Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1939	38x35"	21212	12	$1,800
	Rare, Exquisite and Grand Dozen Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1939	38x35"	21213	12	$1,800
	A Rare, Exquisite and Grand Set of Ten Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1939	38x35"	21214	10	$1,200
	A Rare, Exquisite and Grand Dozen Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1938	38x35"	21215	12	$1,800
	Rare, Exquisite and Grand Dozen Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1938, two have ink marks	38x35"	21216	12	$1,500
	A Rare, Exquisite and Grand Dozen Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1937	38x35"	21217	12	$1,800
	Four Rare, Exquisite and Grand Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1936, one has a little worn area	38x35"	21220	4	$450
	A Rare, Exquisite and Grand Set of Seven Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1935, Gorgeous Antique, 3 have imperfections	38x35"	21221	7	$650
	A Rare, Exquisite and Grand Set of Seven Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1934Gorgeous Antique, one imperfect	38x35"	21222	7	$925
	A Rare, Exquisite and Grand Set of Nine Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1933 two are imperfect	38x35"	21223	9	$1,100
	A Rare, Exquisite and Grand Set of Nine Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated 1930; Five are perfect; two have imperfections	38x35"	21225	9	$750
	Rare, Exquisite and Imperfect Set of Ten Antique Dinner Napkins woven with monogram and Royal Crest of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy, dated with various dates, imperfections	38x35"	21228	7	$300
	Superb Dozen Very Large Handwoven Irish Linen Napkins! Twelve Antique Figural 27" White Linen Damask Napkins "divine provenance" JPM monogram, JP Morgan family	27"	21439	12	$1250