CIRCA 1880-1900. MAGNIFICENT APPENZELL BANQUET TABLECLOTH W/BRUSSELS LACE, GROS POINT. There is the most amazing Appenzell embroidery on this exquisite banquet tablecloth.Measuring approx.195-196" long by almost 90" wide. The linen cloth has Brussels Duchesse lace, Needle lace, Drawnwork throughout the cloth but the most amazing part of course is the amount of Appenzell whitework embroidery. The theme is pastoral, perhaps the Spring Harvest which is a theme that was very popular during the centuries. There are ornate gazebos, ladies, men and children, sheep, dogs, deer or stags, assorted birds, animals in the pastoral scenes.The design has elaborate gazebos with a image of Eros pulling his bow while a young courting couple sit in the grass with musicians in the design playing their instruments.There are assorted fruit trees, workers or farmers and the Lord and Lady of the estate picking fruit, baskets overflowing with florals or the harvest. The amount of work is quite astonishing! Besides the images there are numerous florals throughout the cloth.This is a moment I wish I knew more about a item, who it was made for, who worked on the cloth etc. I am going to endeavour to find out a bit more about it's history. I do know that this level of cloth could only have been made for royalty or for a very wealthy scion. The most important part is the level of detailing in the cloth, from the pastoral scenes to the people, the animals etc.. the detailed work that went into the embroidery is quite amazing because there are so many varied stitches, so much refined raised work that I can actually say this could only have been produced in the finest atelier with the most wonderful designer and of course the embroidered themselves were masters. In the first and fifth picture we made the background black so that perhaps the detailed precise workmanship could be better seen. The cloth has it's original cream patina and is in mainly very good strong condition.There are a few age spots' couple of repairs and one opening I see. Basically this pales into insignificance.on such a cloth I consider this minor. This is a cloth that should be in a museum or in a serious lace collection.
Item #AL1156
