The ones used on the backs and arms of chairs were called antimacassars. Long ago, men used macassar oil on their hair. The mats were an attempt to keep the oil from wrecking the upholstery fabric.

I've used them on decorative pillows for my bed. I just made a simple square or rectangular pillow and sewed the antimacassar to one side.

Currently, I'm trying to get some spots out of some old linen and lace napkins so I can use them as cafe curtains.

Pretty much, with old linens, you can use them for whatever purpose you can think of.

And of course, you can use the bureau scarves and table runners for their original purpose, if you like.

Thank you so much for your knowledge. Have a large old antique bed on which I thought some pillows made from lacy-edged antimacassars would be nice. By the way, I got a lot of information on cleaning old linens from the web if you've not tried that. Thanks again.