A Morris and Company cover, of apricot coloured silk embroidered in many coloured silks with an intricate symmetrical design composed of three artichokes and a pomegranate with large blue scrolling leaves worked against a ground of smaller flowerheads and curling tendrils, within a border of trailing leaves, tulips and other flowers--100in x 74in; and a pelmet of salmon pink silk embroidered in shades of yellow, ivory and green silk with a border of curling vine leaves and small flowers including tulips and pansies--22in x 80in., both probably adapted by May Morris from her father's designs, circa 1890

Details

A Morris and Company cover, of apricot coloured silk embroidered in many coloured silks with an intricate symmetrical design composed of three artichokes and a pomegranate with large blue scrolling leaves worked against a ground of smaller flowerheads and curling tendrils, within a border of trailing leaves, tulips and other flowers--100in x 74in; and a pelmet of salmon pink silk embroidered in shades of yellow, ivory and green silk with a border of curling vine leaves and small flowers including tulips and pansies--22in x 80in., both probably adapted by May Morris from her father's designs, circa 1890
See colour illustration (2)

Provenance

Mrs Gertrude Wormald of Hill Street, London and Hardwick Grange, Shropshire, who died in 1897.

Lot Essay

Cf Linda Parry, William Morris Textiles, 1983, page 27; the vine leaf border at the base of the "Acanthus" hanging, worked circa 1880, is similar to that on the pelmet.
The design of the cover is similar to a pair of embroidered hangings worked in silk on an apricot silk ground at the Victoria and Albert Museum (T3648A-1976); also to the hanging "Artichoke" worked in crewels on linen in 1877, illustrated in the above book, page 26.

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