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Embroidered Apron
c 1740

The cream finely ribbed silk taffeta ground embroidered with large flower and leaf sprays emerging from the lower corners, the stems couched in thick twisted silk threads, some with French knots, various sized flowers and leaves, worked in silks and some laid couched gold and silver metal thread, the flowers including tulips, lilly of the valleys and peonies, beautifully shaded with a variety of fillings, all in shades of puce, pinks, green, blue, bronze and ivory twisted silks, the bottom scalloped and edged with puce coloured silk, the waistband of same silk 18 in. drop x 10 in. waist and approx 42 in. lower hem.

Comments

Very good. One vertical silk split 1 ? in. on edge of bronze flower; another small vertical split at end of a silver leaf1/4 in. A few more minor , minor splits. All have occurred where the fabric folds. Minute hole. In the photo the background silk appears to be white. It is in fact a lovely soft cream. The apron strings have been cut off, perhaps because they were damaged. Decorative aprons were high fashion and worn by society women on smart and formal occasions, rather than for practical purposes. See: Baumgarten, Linda What Clothes Reveal Colonial Williamsburg Collection p 24 and again p 224 fig. 335

Condition

Fabulous symmetrical design with clear bright colours and naturalistic flowers.