Description and Details
This pair of antique Irish linen pillow slips dates from the early 1800s, making them a rare survival of Regency period household linen. Each slip is monogrammed with the initials Y R, hand embroidered in fine whitework that adds a personal and collectible touch.
At the openings you have a particularly beautiful and unusual example of hand worked East Midlands bobbin lace, executed in cotton. This regional lace gives a delicate, scalloped edge and immediately signals quality work and specialist skill. Alongside the lace, the whitework embroidery is minutely and expertly stitched, with padded, raised areas that give relief and texture, plus inserts of hand worked needle lace set into the embroidery for further refinement.
The construction is entirely hand stitched. The side openings have hand worked buttonholes and hand made linen covered metal buttons. Only one original button remains intact on one of the slips, which is typical of genuine antique bed linen and simply part of their history rather than a fault.
Both pillow slips are described as in excellent, near mint condition, very unusual for pieces of this age. They measure 76.5 x 50.5 cm (30 x 19.75 inches), a generous size for display on a bed, in a period interior, or for careful use. They are also ideal for collectors of Irish linen, lace and whitework, or as reference for embroiderers and textile historians studying early nineteenth century hand work.
Materials Details: Irish linen pillow cases with cotton East Midlands bobbin lace, whitework embroidery, hand worked needle lace inserts, hand sewn construction, hand worked buttonholes and linen covered metal buttons.
