I have been asked "what" and "why" the very frequent appearances in early inventories of valance (valence, sic) beds (bedsteads). As today with drapes, most early Americans constucted a canopy over their beds (thus "four-posters") from which hung drawable curtains. Even the very poor did so almost without exception. The reasons being that there were no screens whatever (and no insecticides of worth), and during the warm months mosquitos and bugs of every description constantly moved to and fro the homes carrying disease and to the VERY GREAT annoyance of our ancestors. By hanging cheesecloth or other very loosely woven fabric over the top and to the floor from the valance or the canopy, a measure of protection from those critters was afforded. Then too, in winter, the cold might be partially warded off by using heavier more tightly woven material in place of the cheesecloth like fabrics of the warm seasons. Paul