Splendidly embroidered antique ecru "fil de lin" linen sheet and pillow sham set, never used and immaculately preserved! (I washed these for the first time just to freshen them up and remove the storage marks after a long time spent in an armoire.) This masterful ensemble was very likely intended for a marriage trousseau however, the absence of a monogram suggests perhaps that the marriage never came to pass. The work of an experienced and talented embroideress is evident in the finesse and relief of the bourdon, tige and post point embroidered floral expanse that fills the entire return as well as 22 inches of the height on either side. A drawn thread row runs above and below the floral motif along the return as well as the sides and a tiny hemstitch finishes the edge at the foot of the sheet. The two matching shams have sprigs of budding flowers in each of the four corners and a drawn thread row along the border. The shams are identical but close slightly differently on their reverse side, one with five mother-of-pearl buttons along the width in the middle of the sham and the other with the same five buttons but along the width toward the top of the sham. Not uncommonly there was an intentional and slight difference in pillow shams, often in the embroidery, to distinguish the husband's pillow from the wife's, and this possibly explains this lack of symmetry. Late 19th c. Perfect condition, although very, very pale traces of the storage marks remain and will come out in the next wash or two. Dimensions sheet: 140 x 92.5in., shams exterior: 29 x 27in., interior: 27.5 x 25in.
PRICE:
SOLD (complimentary delivery)
ITEM: 1354