$3,555
Large Embroidery, China, 18th/19th century, embroidery of chickens, parrots, butterflies, and gold flowering plants on an ivory ground, fringed borders, 109 x 87 in. Provenance: according to a typed note dated October 17, 1923, by Samuel B. Dean, an Antique dealer on Newbury Street in Boston, this embroidery was "made for the Philadelphia exposition of 1876. by the Royal school of needlework under the patronage of the Dowager Empress of China. The hand woven ground is of oyster white satin which is well covered with embroidery in gold thread, 'en couche'. In the centre is embroidered in colored silks, au passe', the royal coq of China symbol of good luck and longevity, at intervals occur birds and butterflies done in colored silks. the butterfly is symbolic of eternal life. a fringe of hand woven silk borders the coverlet. The embroidery was purchased at the exposition by a new York lady who never used it, after her death her heirs having no use for the coverlet desired to sell it, and took it to the Brooklyn museum, I happened to be doing some work there and the director suggested that I take it home for the purpose of selling it. The owner was the sister of Admiral Nieblach, retired, who had charge of the United States fleet stationed in the Mediteranean Sea during the late war."
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2011-10-02
