Snowdrops & the Promise of Spring

I am always heartened by the sight of the first snowdrops raising and unfurling their tiny, delicate flowerheads above the iron-hard winter earth, it always makes me think of the approach of Spring, not far off now.
Here are some lovely images I found on the internet to compliment the fabric photographed here, Cicely Mary Barker's Snowdrop Fairy, and illustrations by Millicent Sowerby & Drupsteen depicting the Brother's Grimm fairytale 'Snowdrop', a varient of the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs tale.
The fabric is a beautiful printed cotton chintz, I am not sure of the origin, but most likely English or French. It dates to about 1820-30, and has been block & roller printed by the looks of it. I have a tiny, simply consructed ruffled window pelmet or valance made of it pinned across a little cottage-style window that looks out over the garden. It reminds me that I would like to try to get some snowdrop bulbs for the garden, ready for next year.

Pre-war Deco decadence, a glorious silk Boudoir pelmet

I sold this unusual, but beautiful French Art Deco silk textile a while ago, it must have been a luxury piece in its day, designed to add sensual ambience to a gorgeous boudoir. It is a pelmet or valance made from a pre-made silk-covered rigid undulating base in pink to create the main part of the design, more in ivory to create the florals, then the background filled in with button-hole stitched linen thread brides or bars to create fabric of the pelmet. I am unsure whether it would have been bought ready-made, or in kit form, to make at home, I have seen similar pieces before, but never so well made or in such good condition.

It has been made to imitate needlepoint lace on a large scale, in palest pink and ivory. The piece has been finished off with delicate crocheted balls suspended on long button-hole stitched threads, reminiscent of Christmas baubles. I imagine it was hung over a window or bed, but not for long, as it was in exceptional condition, and had been carefully stored for years. I would love to see an old photograph of a similar piece in situ! I can only imagine how decadent and opulent the rest of the furnishings of the boudoir were.

Fantastical Beasts

A beautiful escape from reality, the imaginative depiction of Fantastic Beasts in French textiles. Beasts from fairy tales or myths & legends always capture our imaginations and remind us of thrilling tales told to us as children. Beauty & the Beast. Perhaps there is a bit of the Beast and some of the child in all of us, which is why we love these imaginative images so much.

Art Nouveau, Art Deco & Late Victorian French Prints

Here are a selection of late 19th century and early 20th century French printed fabric, some I have had for a while, some have sold a while ago and a few I obtained last week on my successful buying trip.

The first five are light and airy, quite cheap and basic corded cottons, a fabric I believe is known as 'rep'. They all date to around the 1930s, and are Art Deco in style, they would have been used for curtains and quilts. French Art Deco was much more sinuous and closer to art Nouveau than most other countries, but I like that! I find some very angular more typical Deco designs less appealing.

The next 3 are Art Nouveau panels dating to btween 1895-1910, their sinuous styalisation typical of the period. Art Nouveau flowers always look so glamerous!

The final prints are Victorian, and date to about 1880, cluttered, styalised, full of pattern and over-blown gorgeousness. So typical of an era that had gone through and was still going through such momentous change; this is reflected in the new technology brought to bear in the textile industry, and in the influence on design & pattern of many different cultures.

Victorian Berlin woolwork: The Young David playing his harp to soothe King Saul

This is a beautiful Victorian Berlin woolwork picture, quite large, and entirely worked in petitpoint in wool with silk highlights on canvas.

It depicts a scene from the Bible's Old Testament, with the young David playing his harp to soothe the torments of King Saul. The colours are beautiful, bright and unfaded, and I like the sinister, brooding feeling that is conjured by the intensity of Saul's gaze and the worried expression on the face of the woman juxtaposed with the innocence and rapture of the young David as he makes music.

Beautiful Birds & Butterflies

Beautiful birds & butterflies as depicted in French 17th, 18th & 19th century textiles; printed toiles and cottons, lace, tapestry, needlepoint and more. Motifs to cheer the heart in the middle of Winter when all is cold, damp and drear outside. A reminder that we will soon be celebrating Mid-Winter, which helps up to get through the dark days, back to the beginning again with the start of Spring. People throughout history have brought images of nature into their homes all year round through the use of textiles, paintings and ornaments, Even in todays high-tech, urban culture, we are still drwan to such images to decorate our interior spaces, be they naturalistic or styalised.