Set of six very fine 19th century linen damask serviettes - butterflies and polkadots
These come from somewhere in the mid-to-late 19th to early 20th century, and they would have belonged to a very wealthy household - their size and their quality tells this, but so do does the damask they are made from. They may even have belonged to a wealthy presbytery or similar. Very fine linen damask with a ground of polkadots and a border of stylized roses and leaves, each corner has flock of butterflies encircling a cross. This is the Jerusalem cross, and this tells me that either these belonged to one of the very wealthy and very Catholic families from the area of the Loire Valley where I found these, or they come from a wealthy religious organisation of same. It’s a toss-up - they are also missing initials which is unusual for pieces of this quality in a private household - but very wealthy old Catholic families were also often rather austere, despite having the best of everything.
These have hand-stitched borders. There are a couple with very tiny marks, nothing even noticeable, but there is one with a small hole and another with a larger yellowish stain which I have photographed. I have soaked and washed these. They measure an exceptionally large 73×90cm, again testimony to their age and the wealth of their owner.
Edit: Someone on instagram just pointed out that the significance of the butterflies is referring to the home - these are most probably from a very devout very wealthy family in the area around the Touraine/Saumur, home of all the châteaux and lots of very old money.
Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.
To purchase, please contact me.
These come from somewhere in the mid-to-late 19th to early 20th century, and they would have belonged to a very wealthy household - their size and their quality tells this, but so do does the damask they are made from. They may even have belonged to a wealthy presbytery or similar. Very fine linen damask with a ground of polkadots and a border of stylized roses and leaves, each corner has flock of butterflies encircling a cross. This is the Jerusalem cross, and this tells me that either these belonged to one of the very wealthy and very Catholic families from the area of the Loire Valley where I found these, or they come from a wealthy religious organisation of same. It’s a toss-up - they are also missing initials which is unusual for pieces of this quality in a private household - but very wealthy old Catholic families were also often rather austere, despite having the best of everything.
These have hand-stitched borders. There are a couple with very tiny marks, nothing even noticeable, but there is one with a small hole and another with a larger yellowish stain which I have photographed. I have soaked and washed these. They measure an exceptionally large 73×90cm, again testimony to their age and the wealth of their owner.
Edit: Someone on instagram just pointed out that the significance of the butterflies is referring to the home - these are most probably from a very devout very wealthy family in the area around the Touraine/Saumur, home of all the châteaux and lots of very old money.
Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.
To purchase, please contact me.
These come from somewhere in the mid-to-late 19th to early 20th century, and they would have belonged to a very wealthy household - their size and their quality tells this, but so do does the damask they are made from. They may even have belonged to a wealthy presbytery or similar. Very fine linen damask with a ground of polkadots and a border of stylized roses and leaves, each corner has flock of butterflies encircling a cross. This is the Jerusalem cross, and this tells me that either these belonged to one of the very wealthy and very Catholic families from the area of the Loire Valley where I found these, or they come from a wealthy religious organisation of same. It’s a toss-up - they are also missing initials which is unusual for pieces of this quality in a private household - but very wealthy old Catholic families were also often rather austere, despite having the best of everything.
These have hand-stitched borders. There are a couple with very tiny marks, nothing even noticeable, but there is one with a small hole and another with a larger yellowish stain which I have photographed. I have soaked and washed these. They measure an exceptionally large 73×90cm, again testimony to their age and the wealth of their owner.
Edit: Someone on instagram just pointed out that the significance of the butterflies is referring to the home - these are most probably from a very devout very wealthy family in the area around the Touraine/Saumur, home of all the châteaux and lots of very old money.
Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.
To purchase, please contact me.