Vintage Doily

I was inspired to post this because of this post over at Bella Crochet. I really enjoyed looking at her vintage doilies, and it reminded me of one I'd like to share with you. I bought this unique doily for a quarter (yes, a measly quarter!!) at a garage sale a year or two ago. To think of all the work somebody put into it, and then it being sold for twenty five cents. I snatched it up, not really knowing what I was going to do with it...but I just knew I couldn't let it lay on that garage sale table. I'm assuming it was used on a shelf of some sort...thus the straight edge. Does anybody know for sure what this type of doily was/is used for?

This picture shows what I ended up using it for. It makes a beautiful doily to place my grandkids' picture on. :D