Featured Antique Drying Rack or what is it?

Please help me to determine what this rack was used for. I am curious about the approximate age. Thank you for your help.

 

Looks to be exactly that and mainly for towels.

 

When I was a tot (YES, a thousand years ago) we had a similar rack (only three leaves) in the nursery for drying nappies in front of the fire. And I do remember seeing Nanny's black stockings on it as well........................

 

Thank you. Based on your remembrance would you be able to guestimate an age? I posted the photos of the hardware hoping that it would help to identify an approximate date range of manufacture.

 

Could be anywhere from 1890 to 1940!

 

How beautiful! I love those clasps, amazing. Lucky!

 

And here I was thinking it was a library newspaper rack.

 

I've seen them used for that!
But not sure that was its original intended use.

 

Particularly it they have the "centre pole".................but maybe they don't use those any longer???? And a two or three leaf one would be a bit unsteady for the constant use a newspaper rack would (SHOULD) see....................

 

You mean the wooden ones the paper goes through then each rests on a rack I think. If so then yes 'they' do.
I've been in some small old libraries and those are probably where I've seen this type of rack used.

 

I have a very old one that stands 6' tall. I display my antique woven coverlets on it.