Featured Older needle art Adam and Eve, beaded snake

How to describe this? Needlework, but a more specific word maybe?

Some of the beads on the snake have gone missing, but the beads look older to my eye. I might take a stab at a restoration if I could find similar beads.

There is a piece of cardboard or something under the fabric. Sewn in.

Do you think this was a kit or just some folk-arty piece? From the back this looks a bit older.

Has some fading, for some reason my photo next to the soup can really enhanced the colors, a bit more faded than it shows. Last pic shoes colors better.

Was from a drop dead fantastic estate sale.

Thanks for taking a look.

 

Crewel work?

 

Do you see evidence that a design was printed on the background fabric?

Also, where was this found (continent, country, state, etc)?

 

If you can't find enough vintage beads in the right colors, maybe salvage enough from the top portion of the snake to fill in missing sections in the body and then do the head and upper portion in vintage beads as closely matched to at least one of the colors as possible.
Once the beads are secured, I would try to vacuum any loose dirt overall. Maybe muffle the suction of the vacuum by placing a heavy wool sock over the nozzle.
Once I felt I had all the loose dirt removed, I would go over the entire piece with a white, barely damp cloth, then use a hairdryer set on cool and low speed. That should brighten up the colors. I have used this method to clean up old textiles that couldn't be laundered with good results, but can't promise that there would not be some shrinkage or bleeding of colors. Good Luck!

 

Thank you all for the responses so far -- I am heading out for a one hour work job, will be back in a few hours.

Quick response to ques, no design I can see underneath, was purchased in the U.S. in CO, but family had a lot of antiques that were east coast in origin.

Will check in when I am back. Thanks.

 

I wonder if the way the edge is finished is a clue to anything... I'm kind of lost on this one.

 

Yes, I think crewel/crewelwork would be the proper description, with a drawn thread border. It reminds me of Erica Wilson's work in reviving the crewel tradition, along with other forms of needlework. She published "Crewel Embroidery" in 1962, and the flowers along the bottom of Lucille's piece give me a '60s vibe.

 

Love Adam's hairy chest

 

ALMOST anatomically correct rendering of A & E.

 

"crewel" is really about the thread used. Is this wool? If yes, I'd call it "crewel," but if cotton or silk, I'd call it "embroidery."

Satin stitch.

I'm still puzzled by this piece. I'd have snatched it up in a heartbeat, but it's ... not refined work.

 

Might want to get some of the joolies on those beads, see if they have any input as to origin.

 

I was assuming it is wool, but you are right that a different fiber would make a different description appropriate.

 

Also agree. That is one of the reasons I was thinking relatively recent "artsy" work.

 

A definite possibility... I was also wondering about some sort of "local handiwork souvenir", but there'd probably be more of them around if that was the case.

 

Thanks all. And appreciate the cleaning tips, Sandra.

Agree, definitely not refined, was thinking some one off piece, a kind of folk art. I believe the back is silk. I was thinking earlier than 60s. It has a bit of that 60s vibe with the naked people and flowers, but in the hand the piece feels older. The fabric in the back in particular. And the beads look older to my eye.

True that the beads might be a clue. I do have a friend locally that owns a bead store and might be able to give thoughts.

This was at a professionally run estate sale, the items at the home were unbelievable. Chinese antiquities, MCM designer Italian furniture, antiques from the east coast, someone was going on and on about a 18C clock from North Carolina. People were checking out with bills of $5K. I was in the somewhat early group, I didn't make a rush for the Chinese expensive stuff because I am not experienced enough to spend $500 on a Chinese piece and instead made a bee line for the jewelry case. Was going for a brooch I saw in the photos, got in by the jewelry grabbed the brooch ($8) and this embroidery piece was in the case with the jewelry ($20). I knew I would never see another, lol, and it was two days after Christmas so got it for myself. The check out person said, "Might be 18C". I totally disregarded that, but wasn't going to rule out first half of the 20th century based on the glass beads and silk backing.

Probably one of a kind, well, I've got a place for it.

More thoughts welcome, of course. If I get any input from my bead friend, will report back.

 

The border also hints at that time period (but, of course, is proof of nothing).

I'll be interested to hear what your bead friend says.

 

Looking at Eve she seems odd because her top half is facing forward after handing Adam the apple, yet from the waist down she presents her back side with her knees and feet walking away. Am I missing something?

 

That pale blue fig leaf.

 

Where the beads are missing from the serpent, does it look like the picture is printed on the fabric?