The beautiful face screen pair you see here is a stunning old English Victorian set, beautifully hand embroidered and stitched in silk on canvas which is stretched on a wire form - always popular for decorating, collecting. The scene on each is a landscape and home scene which is beautifully done, a work of art on this functional pair of old face screens. I'm sure these would have had a thick long lush outer framing of fringe, but that fringe has been removed over the years. These are wonderful hung as art, by the way, either in frame or just as you see it. The turned wood handles have been painted with a nice gilt which remains beautiful. While you note the age there, as you can see, they still remain lovely and would be great protected within a frame. These still have a wrist strap and one the fragment of the original tassel. This one is a rare matching pair (rare to find them still in the matching pairs, but we do have some others available, just ask). The screens and handles are in very good condition for age and type, quite rare to find without more damage. Whether you frame and hang them, or rest them on the mantel or on a fireside table, you'll love the decorative quality of these Victorian screens. A 'must' for any fine Victorian home, these decorated hand screens were made available for guests who gathered for evenings of socializing, music, conversation, and were specifically designed to allow a lady to sit close to the warming fire, but not end up with red blotches on her face from the fire's heat. You know that the makeup a lady wore in those days would have been wax based, and one always ran the risk of it melting and running, as well, so you can plainly see how vital these were to any host or hostess who expected to regain the company of their visitors.
Very good condition throughout, with no holes or splits in the old canvas which is almost always found on the needleworked ones, a flaw as typical for these old fabric screens. No chips or cracks or breaks in the handles, also unusual. The handles are firmly affixed, strong. This is a pair screens you could proudly use as the Victorians did, though remember that needlework and beadwork on canvas is fragile, so perhaps best framed and hang or displayed as decorative accent in your home. One or two beads missing on hte one, I see, and fairly even darkening from time, no serious stains. These go fabulously with frame or without, hung flanking your fireplace mirror or painting, by the way, and are superb for Country French, English Country Manor, traditional or just about any decor. A very Victorian item, face screens, and difficult to find in the fine condition you see here.
