Textiles and Stuff 

This is a lovely example of a Turkish/Ottoman embroidered waistcoat. It is made of green silk fabric and lavishly embroidered in couched work with gold coloured thread. The embroidery covers much of the garment, front and back and is a traditional design with a narrow border round the edge of the garment and loops, rings and leaf sprays on each side of the centre front and repeated leaf design in the centre of the back at the top and bottom. It is fully lined in white cotton. As to the size of the garment, the back measurement across between the bottom of the armholes is 15 1/2 inches (39.4 cms.) and the length from the top of the shoulder to the hem is approximately 14 inches (35.6 cms.) The only damage is in the lining where there are two dark spots (seen on the photo) and a few small brown age spots inside. This is a wonderful example of a very traditional garment and would add interest to any collection or display.

This is a lovely example of a 19th century German silver thimble. It is plain in the main part but has a wide decorated gold coloured band round the rim, of swirls alternating with small cabuchon stones in turquoise, black and orange. There is a small flower at the top of it. The thimble is in excellent condition, except that a couple of the retaining claws are missing from two of the stones. The thimble bears the 825 silver mark, the maker’s mark A.B. and some others that I cannot decipher. This is a very good specimen and an excellent addition to any collection or as a gift for the keen needlewoman. Reference "The Collector's Guide to Thimbles" by Bridget McConnel.

This is a very decorative thimble, made probably in Afghanistan or Turkey in the late 19th Century and decorated all over with a raised design of small knobs within wire scallops. It is in excellent condition and there are no holes or dents. It is set with three red “stones”. It measures just 3/4 inch high.(2 cms.) and is most probably made of silver but there are no marks, which is quite usual. Reference The Collector's Guide to Thimbles, by Bridget McConnel.

This is an exquisite baby’s dress made of very fine cotton with the bodice decorated with white embroidery and fine bobbin lace which also trims the sleeves. The skirt has robings or long strips of finely worked broderie anglaise of an indented shape running from waist to hem and this is echoed in the hem of the dress. The measurements are as follows chest 17 inches, sleeve length from shoulder to cuff 8 1/2 inches, length from shoulder to hem 26 inches. The dress fastens at the back with two tiny mother of pearl buttons. There is a small laundry mark embroidered in red cotton on the back opening which can be removed if desired, although it is part of the dress’s history! The dress is in excellent condition and the only flaws I can find are some tiny holes in one area of the robing near the bottom of the skirt and a few very small repairs, one to the robing and several others in the border of the skirt. They are all very small and hardly noticeable. This is a beautiful little dress for a young baby and would be suitable for a christening or a special family occasion.

This is a large vintage Union Jack Flag which measures 71 inches by 36 inches and is in very good used condition, with the colours very bright and fresh. It is fitted with a rope in the vertical hem with brass Inglefield clips at top and bottom. It is double stitched appliqué in a fine woollen fabric. There are a few small holes but these do not detract from the appearance and also there is some general slight soiling due to use. This flag in in great condition and would serve as a furnishing accessory in a variety of situations, home, halls, clubs and so on.

This is a large vintage Union Jack Flag which measures 71 inches by 36 inches and is in very good used condition, with the colours very bright and fresh. It is fitted with a rope in the vertical hem with brass Inglefield clips at top and bottom. It is double stitched appliqué in a fine woollen fabric. There are a few small holes but these do not detract from the appearance and also there is some general slight soiling due to use. This flag in in great condition and would serve as a furnishing accessory in a variety of situations, home, halls, clubs and so on.

This is a vintage Royal Canadian Navy White Ensign Flag which is stamped “4 BREADTH” NAVAL WHITE ENSIGN” and the maker’s mark “Jones Tent & Awning Ltd. 194?”. I have been advised that this maker was based in Vancouver and that the Canadian Navy stopped using this ensign in 1965. It measures 69 inches by 34 inches and is in very good used condition, with slight fading of the colours. It is fitted with a rope in the vertical hem with brass Inglefield clips at top and bottom and two brass eyelets. It is double stitched appliqué in a firm cotton fabric. There are a couple of small brown marks and some grubby marks which are due to use and of course add to its character but there are no holes. This flag in in great condition and would serve as a furnishing accessory in a variety of situations.

This is a lovely baby’s dress dating from the 1860/70s, hand made of a fine cotton fabric. the bodice is decorated with the traditional strips of narrow machine embroidered fabric and five rows of tiny tucks. This theme is continued in the skirt, which has panels of hand embroidered broderie anglaise and four rows of pin tucks running horizontally across the front panel for the full length of the skirt from the waistline to the hem, which is also trimmed with the same broderie anglaise. The robings also in matching broderie anglaise run right from the centre back of the bodice to the lower hem of the front. The sleeves are short and match the robings. The chest measurement is approximately 18 inches and the overall length from shoulder to hem is 44 inches. The dress fastens at the back with tapes which can be used to gather the waist and neck to adjust the size and there are also two tiny linen buttons to secure the back opening. The dress is in very good condition but there is one small repair on the robing and also an small area of weakness at the hem which can be seen in the photograph. This is a lovely hand made dress, typical of the period and one to treasure for a Christening or that special occasion!

This is a tailored elegant jacket designed by Rosalind Gilbert and made of black moiré or watered silk. I have so far not been able to find out much about this designer, only that she was exhibiting in London fashion shows in 1947. The jacket has a fitted waist, a peplum which is elongated at the back into a long section which is weighted, and fitted narrow sleeves. The bodice buttons up to the neck which was a narrow collar, with moulded glass buttons. There are two small pockets at yoke height. The jacket which is labelled size 38, is displayed on a size 10 model and the measurements are as follows Outer sleeve length 18 inches Shoulder length 6 inches Waist 25 inches Bust 36 inches Size 38 is the equivalent of U.K. 10-12 and the U.S. 8 These measurements are on the flat. Please check these measurements carefully with a garment of your own, and feel free to ask questions before buying. I am careful to describe goods as accurately as I can, but secondhand items almost always show some signs of wear and may have small flaws which have been overlooked. The garment is in good condition, the only flaw is that the bottom button is of the same size and shape as the others, but a slightly different design, but this is not noticeable.

This is a very attractive set of six place card holders in Continental silver with the 800 mark. They are in the shape of a flute made of a scrolled sheet of silver to hold a posy or flower and the base is a scallop shell. Positioned on the shell is a small ball (a pearl?) with a small slit to hold the guest’s name. Next to the 800 mark is another mark which seems to contain figures, but I am unable to decipher it. The place card holders measure 2 1/2 inches high (6.4 cms.) and the base is 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cms.) wide. They are in very good condition and would lend elegance to any dining table - a wonderful Christmas present for the hostess with style!

This a small clutch bag dating I believe from the 1930s, and made from a Chinese embroidered fabric featuring dragons, the flaming pearl, clouds and flower sprays. It measures just over 9 inches wide at its widest part and 6 inches deep. It is lined in black silk and there are two small gathered pockets inside. The clasp of gold coloured metal works well, closing with two small balls. The bag is generally in good condition, apart from some slight wear in the fabric on one side near the clasp and there is some loss of the “gold” finish to the frame, but this does not affect the appearance too much. The condition of the outside is good except for a small red mark, shown in the photograph. This is a very attractive bag, the condition is very good for its age, and is a useful size.

This is an attractive example of a young school girl’s sewing sampler of the late Victorian or Edwardian era. It is enclosed in a hard cover covered in blue ribbed watered silk and tied with two silk ribbons. Her initials L.R. are embroidered on the front. There are beautifully made examples of tucks, cuff, patching, gathering. button hole, feather stitching, construction of gusset, grafting, patching on a very fine knitted fabric, and other examples. Each piece has been carefully and almost invisibly mounted on to pages of calico. The cover and ribbons are in good condition, with slight wear at the edges. There is also some soiling at the edges of the calico pages, but this is just from handling in the past. There is also slight moth damage to the two wool examples one of which can be seen in the last photo in the series. These samplers were the result of teaching needlework in schools, some children learning as young as 7 or 8, and gave the children skills which would probably prove useful to them as adults, either in the home or as a means of earning a living. This sampler probably dates towards the end of the 19th Century. Please contact me for postage charges.