Whilst my main collecting interest has
always been Irish Linen, I sometimes just cannot resist indulging in linens
from elsewhere.
A month or so ago I was fortunate enough to
acquire 2 huge bags full of bedlinen, which had been the trousseau of a
Czechoslovakian lady. Just prior to the outbreak of war in 1939 she was studying in Switzerland
and her parents, who were Jewish and could see what the future held, told her not to come home but to go to friends in England and they arranged to send on her belongings.
Included in the parcels were these beautiful embroidered and monogrammed
linens.
It is a real privilege to handle and
examine these treasured pieces, which found their way to join their owner as
she began her new life. Tragically she was never to see her parents again. She
married in London and spent the rest of her days here, but had no family to
whom she could pass on these heirlooms.
The quality of the linen is exceptional. It
is fine and very very smooth. As for the embroidery – it too is the finest quality
and has been meticulously hand sewn to each piece. Extravagant scrolls and
dainty flower heads are intertwined to shape the monograms and some have the
tiniest seed stitches. Appenzell work is featured in some of the decoration
together with fine drawn thread work. It would have taken many hours to
complete such exquisite designs. The French seams are the narrowest I have ever
seen, just 3 millimetres deep!
Of course the European bedlinen tradition
is quite different to ours and the sizes of the pillowcases are unusual – one
style measures 80 x 95 cms! There are also what I believe to be blanket covers.
At first glance they seemed like a single duvet cover with a fold down flap or
return at the top where we find the embroidery and monogram. On closer
inspection however, it is clear that there is no top to the cover, just a
series of buttonholes all around a deep folded border with mitred corners to
one end. A German friend tells me that a blanket would have been inserted and
then the linen would be buttoned to it to form the bedcover – most unusual, but
how lovely to have it finished with the embroidered return to the top. Apologies for the creases in these images, the blanket covers haven't been through the laundry process yet!
The pillowcases were closed in the old
fashioned manner. A strip of linen with buttons attached was placed
beneath the opening and both sides were then buttoned onto the strip, which
would be removed before laundering. Quite a practical idea I think.
Unfortunately few of the strips remain.
One set is finished with an edging of Irish
Crochet, all intact and quite lovely. Sadly some of the linen is badly marked and
is beyond saving, but the embroidery simply has to be salvaged. I have started
soaking and laundering and it is a delight to see some of the storage marks
disappear and the linen come up fresh and crisp. It makes a wonderful rustling
sound!
As to how I will use the rescued
embroideries I am not sure, but I have to find a way to give a new life to this
stunning work.
