Featured Antique Needlework Identification

Hi, everyone. I'm so glad to have found this site.
I have an antique needlework, from my research I know it's probably from the early 19th century.
The question is, is this American or British? Is there any good way to tell?
The scene is sort of unusual ...the father is catching the baby as it falls from a chair.
Thank you!

 

I think others may want to see the back, close up, as well.......and am going to tag one of the members as well, @Northern Lights Lodge??

 

I can do that tomorrow. But the the back of the frame is closed, with paper covering it.

 

Sure, that would be great! Thank you.

 

It's a copy of a painting, and I can't remember which one. Clothing, furniture and house look British anyhow.

 

Perhaps a little moral lesson about naughty children.

Debora

 

Haha! ^^^^that's it! Thanks everyone!

 

@sandybeaches Hello! Welcome!

What a fascinating little piece! Yes, it looks like a "morality" sort of theme. The little boy standing next to Mum looks like a sassy little rotter also! It appears Mum is doling out slices of cake to "good boys and girls"...

I feel this is British also. The dwellings in the back ground also have a British "feel" as @Ownedbybear mentioned.

The piece has some characteristics of "stumpwork"... but also employs some much easier and faster to work stitches. Stumpwork being 3-dimensional and employing thousands of very tiny stitches - circa 1650-1700.

This piece, although it has some more complex stitches in the foliage, wood framework and hat; they have cut a LOT of time by working the clothing in very long stitches. The rest of the embroidery - ie: chair, table, basket, etc... is still worked in long stitches; albiet shorter ones... but fairly easy and quick to work. There is no doubt that this is hand stitched, as is the original artwork (drawn) behind the embroidery.

Because it has some areas of very dense embroidery; coupled with faster to work stitches... it feels like a "cross over" piece to me. Not purely stumpwork and not traditional embroidery; but employing both. The theme is not reminiscent of traditional stumpwork either; as that was very stylized. As mentioned; the foliage and the wood framework and the men's hat in this piece is very reminiscent of stumpwork; and in studying EARLY US pieces; they also utilized both type of embroideries....still, I'm leaning toward a British pieces.

As an observation: I feel it is unfinished. It looks like there was a rendering that the entire piece was worked over and the heads and hair appear to be unfinished.

I'd have to do some more research; but as a guess: but because of the complexity of SOME of the stitches... I would like to say this was worked circa late 1700s to early 1800... and also as a guess; that it is silk on silk.

I'm assuming it is framed. Has the back "ever" been removed? (like newer materials holding the piece into the frame)?

Is the needlework smack against the glass? If it is; that would not be good for the overall life of the piece.

Is it a family piece? Do you have plans to sell it? Conserve it?

If you do have plans to conserve and reframe - those "errant" long threads which are floating about CAN be tucked back into the work by a professional. They should NOT be just "cut off".

At this juncture: it occurs to me that perhaps I should make a separate post about Stumpwork. Although it isn't my specialty; as lacemaking is... I do have some first hand knowledge of these fairly obscure pieces. I'll try to get on that...

Looking forward to hearing more about this piece.

Thanks for sharing!

Cheerio Leslie

 

Late 18th century from the look of it. Fashionable hat as painted by Gainsborough in portrait of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire from 1785-1787. Certainly it means something sitting on a laundry basket. Perhaps the clash between duty and pleasure.

Debora

 

Thanks Northern Lights and Debora. That is all very interesting. I can't tell anything about the back...I still haven't opened it up yet. I'm planning on selling it. Amazing that it is as old as it is. Thank you so much!

 

You may find out a more accurate time frame if you open the back. However, if you aren't going to have it conserved or reframed... perhaps you'd be better off selling as-is. If the back isn't sealed and it would be EASY out and EASY back in without too much indication that you disturbed it... that might be one thing...but...

Just my opinion; but by opening it up; and not following through with repairs, conservation and reframing... you may just be opening up a can of worms that you don't want to deal with.... assuming of course, that it IS pre-1825 or so. The next buyer might rather deal with it themselves.

LOL... on the other hand; if you do remove the back - I'd love to see it... clear close up of course.

Cheerio
Leslie

 

https://www.dominicwinter.co.uk/Auc...h-century-picture-of-a-lady/?lot=352122&sd=1#


This one is described as an 18th century English silk on silk embroidery (which I found in a google search for "18th century embroidery over drawing"), but the link to the original offer at an antique shop is now broken. It shows the same combination of detailed stitches in the foliage, and the long stitches in the solid color areas of the house and the lawn.

 

Thanks 2manybooks! That's very helpful...they are very similar.

 

It might be worth emailing the V&A or the London Embroidery Guild.