A French letter from 1813
A scrap of 18th century silk embroidered with roses and bows,
beneath an chenille embroidered waistcoat…
The edge of the silk is brighter, where it had
been turned over at a seam…
The effect of the design is carefree,
romantic…
A rose laden chenille embroidered net fichu…
Edges ribbon and silk floss trimmed
c. 1810-1815
All above from my own collection of antique textiles.
My favorite time period is from Marie Antoinette to
Jane Austen…from the end of 18th to start of 19th century.
I dabble in reverie. Who sat on that canapé, tilted those painted
rose teacups, walked those boulevards, perched in rows at
Beethoven concerts, curled within a Lit à la Polonaise
to read Mansfield Park, or Lord Byron…
To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,
One clover, and a bee.
And revery.
The revery alone will do,
If bees are few.
Emily Dickinson
*
One of a set of four pairs… c 1780-1835
of shoes up for auction this week…
You can bid on line through
