17th Century: wire beaded floral basket

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17th Century: beaded basket

Photo copyright FitzWilliam Museum

 

Item link at FitzMuseum

Sides of glass beads threaded and interwoven on wire, base of satin embroidered with couched beads. Male and female figure in the centre of base, surrounded by unicorn, stag, lion and leopard with birds, butterflies, flowers, sprigs, etc.

Circa 1625 CE – Circa 1674 CE

Measurements and weight : Length: 14.25 in by Width: 11.5 in

Method of acquisition: Given (1945-04-19) by Dickson, W. D. (Frances Louisa), Mrs

17th Century: Beaded basket, 1671

Photo copyright Bonhams.com

 

A beadwork basket, English, mid 17th Century

Item page at Bonhams.com

Of tray form, with a shaped handle to each side, the curved sides with a lion, a stag, a lamb and a parrot, leaves, flowers and a peapod, with a vase and berries to each corner, the trellis designed basket base with the King and Queen, each having a glass head and hands, an attendant holding the Queen’s train, and a turreted castle, clouds and the sun,
56cm wide x 44.5cm deep x 12.5cm high (22in wide x 17.5in deep x 5in high).

For similar work see (i) Domestic Needlework by G. Saville Seligman and Talbot Hughes, plate 99, pub. 1926 (ii) English and other Needlework, Tapestries and Textiles in the Irwin Untermeyer Collection by Yvonne Hackenbrooch, plate 72, pub 1960

17th Century: Beadwork basket, mid-century

Photo copyright Bonhams.com

 

A mid 17th century beadwork basket

Of tray form, with a shaped handle to each side; the trellis base featuring an aristocratic couple, their hands and faces worked in silk tent stitch, below a turreted castle and the initials ‘EP’, ‘MP’ and ‘AP’; the canted sides featuring a lion, leopard, camel and stag, as well as flowering and fruiting plants, including acorns, blackberries and lemons,
37cm long, 46cm wide, 10.5cm high.

Provenance: Inherited by direct decent from the original owner, through the House of Neville/Nevill.

It is possible the basket depicts Henry Nevill, 9th Baron Bergavenny and his first wife Lady Mary Sackville and that the initials relate to their children Anne, Elizabeth and Mary. The House of Neville/Nevill has held titles including Earl of Warwick, Earl of Abergavenny and Earl of Westmorland, among others.

For a similar basket, but with the figures featuring glass heads and hands, see lot 3 of the Richmond Needlework Collection at Bonhams Bond Street, 2nd March 2011, which sold for £9000.

16th Century: Charles II beadwork basket, circa 1660

Photo copyright Bonhams.com

 

Item page at bonhams.com

Charles II beadwork basket, circa 1660 and later

The centre designed with a panel of a women seated on a chair and playing a lute, a suitor standing before her, to each corner an exotic bird and in the lower corners a stag and leopard, motifs likely to be after patterns printed by Peter Stent [fl. c.1613-1665], the upright sides with palaces, figures, flowers and insects, all worked in coloured beads, the handles and shaped frame-styled stand worked in later beads and with later silk outer lining, 17cm wide x 35cm deep x 60cm high, (6 1/2in wide x 13 1/2in deep x 23 1/2in high)

A very similar beadwork basket, or Layette, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, [item no. T.69-1936], is set with the maker or recipients name – ‘sarah gvrnall avgust 24 anno 1659’. Another, also dated 1659, exhibited A Collection of Early Needleworks, Katherine Christophers, Painswick, Gloucestershire, August 1973, and illustrated in the accompanying catalogue, pl. 6.

16th Century: Beadwork basket, 1664

Photo from The-salesroom.com

A RARE BEADWORK BASKET, ENGLISH, 1664, LARGE SQUARE TRAY, WITH TREFOIL HANDLE

Item page at The-Salesroom.com

Beadwork basket. A rare beadwork basket, English, 1664, large square tray, with trefoil handle to each side, wrapped around with small coloured glass beads on wire (ribbon beneath sometime renewed, and beads washed and re-wired), embellished with later narrow blue ribbon bows, base lined with beaded panel depicting King Ahasuerus receiving Esther, the latter with attendant holding her train, Mordecai beside them, Haman hanging from a gibbet, the citadel of Shushan (Susa), and numerous other symbolic images of flora and fauna, with the initials ‘E.W.’ and the date 1664, beadwork sometime lifted from original backing and carefully relaid onto a new ground of linen-backed cream silk using adhesive and thread, generally a little dusty and some small losses, linen faces of the three main figures lacking their stitched features, size of panel 36.5 x 36cm (14.25 x 14ins), overall size 53 x 52cm (21 x 20.5ins) Provenance: Purchased over twenty years ago by the current owner from an auction of items which came from a major country house in the northwest of England, where it had almost certainly resided since its creation. Baskets such as these are very rare, there being only a relatively small number in existence. It is probable that the conservation work carried out on this piece was executed sometime in the first quarter of the 20th century. The purpose of such trays is not known; it has been suggested that they were made as layette baskets when preparing for the birth of a baby, or for placing gloves or rosemary in at a wedding. However, they may have been intended not as receptacles, but as simply commemorative pieces for a birth or betrothal, or just as decorative table centrepieces. As with silk embroidery, beadwork was a popular pastime for ladies in wealthy households in the seventeenth century, and young girls were instructed in the art of beadwork in the same way that they were taught other forms of embroidery. Similarities between the form of the basket frame in known examples suggest that they could be purchased ready-made for beadwork to be applied. The seventeenth century was a golden age in British embroidery, and large quantities of glass beads were imported from Venice and Amsterdam by English merchants between the 1630s and 1680s. All the examples of beadwork baskets which we have traced appear to date from the 1660s and 1670s. One of the most popular subjects for all types of embroidered objects was the Biblical story of Esther and King Ahasuerus, taken from the seventh chapter of Esther. The imagery of the tale, as well as that of the also oft-used story of King Solomon, served as a timely reminder, at the time of the Restoration of Charles II, of the sovereignty and greatness of the King, his graciousness in receiving supplicating subjects, and the dangerous consequences of not honouring the monarchy. It may be that the display of such a large piece of embroidery in a prominent place in a gentleman’s dwelling helped prove the household’s allegiance and devotion to the King. (1)

17th Century/ English beaded wire basket with animals

Photograph copyright © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.

 

Textiles/Basket. Glass beads threaded on wire attached to a wire frame, circa 1680. English.

17th Century: basket 1660

A CHARLES II BEADWORK LAYETTE BASKET
CIRCA 1660

Item auction page at Christie’s


Depicting a pair of figures with spot motifs of plants animals and insects, the borders with further figures and flowering plants, some damage to the sides
13 in. (33 cm.) wide

Previously sold Christie’s South Kensington, Costume and textiles, 14 December 2006, lot 3260.
A similar basket dated 1659, is in the Victoria Albert Museum, No. T.69-1936

17th Century: basket 1659

Charles II era basket, 1659

Link to Sotheby’s listing


Beadwork baskets were special creations, as they were not for any practical purpose, and are often decorated with celebratory imagery. They were often created to mimic the forms of silver christening baskets. This example could be commemorating a wedding, as fruit and foliage are often suggestive of fecundity. Beads began to be imported from Venice and Amsterdam around 1630, and they were instantly popular since they were interpreted as symbols of the exotic.

A basket with a similar composition and also worked in beads and depicting Charles II and Catherine of Braganza in the center is in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (39.13.1).

Overall in excellent condition. Decoration to faces is now lacking due to loss of silk thread. Some beads are lacking, minor restorations. Silk lining restored and the beadwork base replaced.

Height 8 1/4 in. by Width 13 1/2 in. by Length 22 in.

Signed MARY BLOMFIELD/ ANNO 1659, reverse with a label printed International Art Treasures Exhibition Assembly Rooms Bath 1973 Exhibit No. 158.

Provenance: Christie’s, South Kensington, July 14, 1992, sale 4716, lot 162.

Exhibited : International Art Treasures Exhibition, Bath, 1973

17th Century: basket 1660

Charles II era basket, 1660

Link to Sotheby’s listing


Mounted on wooden boards, the slanted sides worked in brightly coloured beads depicting a genteel couple with silk faces and hands flanking a manor house with mica windows; the sides with female allegories of the senses with silk faces and hands, flanked by a camel, leopard, stag and unicorn and flowers and insects; the external sides covered in green silk brocade with silver-thread ribbon borders

Height 4 in. by WIdth 19 in. by depth 14 1/2 in.

In good conserved condition with scattered losses to beads primarily around top edges. Canvas backing to bottom panel with minor buckling, and wear and discolouration to raised work commensurate with age, with some re-working to faces. Later green silk and metallic thread borders with minor wear and discolouration consistent with age and use. Colour in catalogue photos is generally accurate; overall colour perhaps slightly more grey under certain light.

Provenance

Sir Frederick Henry Richmond, Bt (1873-1953)
Christie’s South Kensington, An Important Collection of Needlework, June 23, 1987, lot 118
Garry Atkins, London

Exhibited

Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Milwaukee Art Museum, Strung, Woven, Knitted and Sewn: Beadwork from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, November 21, 1997- January 18, 1998

17th Century : basket 1660

Charles II era basket, 1660

Link to Sothebys listing


Mounted on wood, depicting a King and Queen worked on satin ground flanked by a tent and houses; the sides with flowers, fruits, trees, a deer, leopard, kingfisher and parrot and covered on the outside with green silk; raised on a base decorated with insects and flowers

Wear, losses, discolouration and oxidation to satin ground commensurate with age, and scattered losses to beadwork. Later green silk in good condition. Colour in catalogue photos is accurate.

Height 3 3/4 in. by Width 16 in. by Depth 12 in.

Provenance

Mary Bellis, Hungerford
Christie’s London, The Mary Bellis Collection, May 21, 1987, lot 76
Leslie Maas

17th Century: basket 1670

CHARLES II era basket, 1680

Link to Sotheby’s listing


Multi-coloured beads worked on a cream silk ground with openwork sides; the base with a raised-work courting couple flanked by a leopard, lion, castle, pear and orange trees; the sides and handles in blue and white with flowers in each corner; with a protective Perspex case; losses and restoration to openwork

Height 5 1/2 in. by Width 21 in. by Depth 18 in.

Scattered losses and minor oxidation to beads throughout, with some splits to wires in pierced trellis sides, and one section restored entirely with white beads; visible in catalogue photographs. Raised work panel with losses and disclouration to silk ground and scattered losses and lifting to beadwork elements, consistent with age. Metal frame slightly mis-shapen in places, commensurate with age and handling.

Provenance: Leslie Maas

Exhibited

Milwaukee Art Museum, Strung, Woven, Knitted and Sewn: Beadwork from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, November 21, 1997- January 18, 1998

17th Century: basket 1662

Charles II era basket, 1662

Link to Sotheby’s Listing


Scattered losses to beads, visible in catalogue photographs. Metal handles and frame slightly mis-shapen in places with consequent light undulating to beaded panels, consistent with age and handling. Beaded ribbon borders surrounding bottom of basket slightly lifting in places with small losses.

Height 7 in. by Length 18 1/2 in. by Depth 13 1/2 in.

Initialed MB and dated 1662 on a white beaded ground, the base depicting a man and woman flanking the Royal Oak with the face of Charles II surrounded by deer, a leopard, dogs and a fox; the openwork sides and handles worked in multicolor stripes; some losses

Provenance: Alistair Sampson Antiques, Ltd., London

Exhibited

Milwaukee Art Museum, Strung, Woven, Knitted and Sewn: Beadwork from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, November 21, 1997- January 18, 1998

17th Century: Basket, 1650-1700

Beaded basket, English, 1650-1700

V&A Accession number T.41-1946 | link to item page @ V&A


Basket beaded in green, yellow, blue, red, white, and orange within a glass case. The beadwork depicts Susannah and the Elders with a lion, leopard, and kingfisher on the bottom of the basket, framed by the sides of the basket which are composed of leaves, flowers, and fruit trees.

Dimensions of case: : 240mm W: 655mm D: 550mm

17th Century: 1659 Basket

Examples of beadwork that can be associated with makers whose names and dates are known suggest that they were usually made by teenage girls from affluent families. Their function is uncertain. They may have been used as layette baskets, which held baby clothes, because they are similar in form to silver examples. But it has also been suggested that they were made to celebrate betrothals or used at wedding ceremonies to hold gloves, sprigs of rosemary or other favours given to guests. Most examples depict a couple as the central motif. All of the design elements may be found in silk embroidery on domestic furnishings of the period.
Link to item @ V&A

Materials & Making
The basket is made from glass beads strung on linen thread and fine wire, supported on a wire frame lined with silk. Beadwork keeps true, clear colours, an advantage over coloured silks and wools, the usual materials for embroidery. A beaded cushion in the V&A dated 1657 bears the inscription ‘natvrs flowers soon doe fade ful long we last cavse art vs made’.

Ownership & Use
Another beaded basket of identical design exists, with only the name and date different. This suggests that it may have been worked from a type of kit, or possibly made to commission as a gift, with the recipient’s name added.

1659, English; Signed Sarah Gurnall
set with the maker or recipient’s name : sarah gvrnall avgvst 24 anno 1659

  • Height: 11cm
  • Width: 46.5cm
  • Depth: 36cm

17th Century: Beadwork basket, c. 1675

Said to have been made by Elizabeth Clarke (1655-99) when she was about twenty years old. These baskets may have been made to celebrate betrothals and used to hold gloves or sprigs of rosemary given to wedding guests.

Liz Athur’s “Embroidery 1600-1700 at the Burrell Collection.”
London: John Murray, 1995. ISBN: 0-7195-5413-6

Thanks to: Lady Karen Larsdatter