Isn't it superb! A very large and very French c.1800s petitpoint and needlepoint panel which is salvage from the back of a settee, loveseat, sofa or large chair. The figures and colors are all magical and it's in supple and strong enough condition to be used on your own bench top project (42" x 24", slightly oblong), or as a fabulous bedrest pillow or, cut into sections (3), a huge pillow and 2 matching side pillows with the outer panels. Imagine it on your own bed (or mine - this one is likely to make me get out my sewing machine and velvets and lush passementerie fringes. I love the salvage fragments or upholstery panels! Entirely hand-worked in hand-dyed wool and silk yarns, this would date earliest 1800s to perhaps as late as c.1850. The animals and bird shown and all the thrill of color against a dark brown ground color will pull from any room's palette. And even for more modern decor, the brilliant needlework pillows are perfect. Get creative! The project is a super-simple one for anyone even slightly handy, or enlist help from a friend or the local upholsterer's shop. This one is large enough to make up a European center pillow size insert (down-filled) and a couple of side pillows stuffed with a pair or standard down-filled pillows. Worked up, a set of 3 from this panel would run $4k-$5k in LA.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type. Definitely from a furniture piece used little if at all, there are no shreds indicating use or strain of use to the canvas. I see one smallish hole and a few single stitches or up to about 10 needlepoint stitches to keep it from being pristine, but those are simple to restore - maybe an hour with a needlepoint needle and brown yarn will do it. The outer edge has some remainder of an old passementerie trim, not in good enough condition to use, but helps date this one. Oh, and there is additional couple of inches in the folded back edges (see image of back). The colors are still rich and brilliant, showing almost no fading (compare to backside where you can also see the complicated colors and stitchery). Every tiny stitch done by hand. A tapestry worthy of new life for centuries ahead. Will be rolled and in archival tissue for safe storage and shipment.
