A beautiful antique Art Nouveau linen sheet and two pillow sham ensemble of sublime quality in every detail! This lovely set is made of some of the finest and silkiest pure white "fil de lin" linen ever made - very tightly loomed, weighty, and heavenly to the touch. The sheet is adorned with four circular medallions embroidered with pearl-like beads that each frame an inset Venetian lace leafy sprig which appears to be that of the hemp plant. As hemp was an important crop in France which was widely used in the making of homespun, it's likely that this sheet hails from a region of France where hemp, or "chanvre," was grown. Each of the medallions is surrounded by beautiful floral embroidery with a significant relief representing stylized lilies-of-the-valley, and the four circles are strung together by leafy vines, strings of pearls and lacy drawn thread embroidery. The two matching shams have the identical embroidery in a smaller register, with one medallion in each of the four corners, and they close in the back with five, tiny mother-of-pearl buttons. Certainly dating from the latter 19th century, this magnificent sheet and sham ensemble is in impeccable condition! Dimensions: sheet 138 x 94in., shams interior 27 x 25.5in., exterior 31 x 29.5in.
PRICE:
SOLD (complimentary delivery)
ITEM: 2366