Wouldn't you be - if you saw this? A shepherdess and her flock among trees created by wires filled with needlelace, sits on top of a fabulous casket.
Royal Collection © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Here you can see the entire casket which was created around 1660-1690. It was presented to Queen Mary by Lord Plender (1861-1946) in 1932.
Royal Collection © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
H. Avray Tipping describes it in Country Life ( 8 May 1920) 'It is a typical box of the mid-seventeenth century, retaining its original gilt-metal lock plate and handles, but untypical in that it is particularly elaborate. The scenes on the main panels are at least partly Biblical (eg The Sacrifice of Isaac), while the frieze contains depictions of animals, insects, birds and flowers. What is most extraordinary is the top, which is arranged as a landscape with a shepherdess and her flock among trees created by wires sustaining the needlework.' He also writes that it is 'from a house in Hampshire, the name of which it is desired should not be given.'
Royal Collection © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
This casket or small cabinet is covered with long stitch needlework in silk, with a scene of figures in a landscape on the top, which opens, and a figure on each of the doors. The cabinet opens in three places and includes divisions, recesses, drawers and hidden compartments, and contains several small articles. Needlework caskets such as these were used for a variety of purposes and frequently contained receptacles for ink and sand, bottles for perfumes and sections for combs and needlecases. The lower portion, consisting of small drawers, often included hidden compartments at the back, found by pulling out partitions. Also known as ‘The Little Gidding Cabinet’, this casket was probably the work of one of the Miss Colletts, nieces of Nicholas Ferrar who founded the Little Gidding community in Huntingdonshire in 1626. Both girls, who were famous for their skills at needlework and embroidery, were brought up in the community, which devoted itself to prayer, fasting and almsgiving. According to tradition, the casket was acquired by Charles I and left with the community for safekeeping. The cabinet remained in the Collett family and was eventually sold, with other relics from the community, in 1892. It was purchased by Queen Victoria for £25.
Royal Collection © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
This exquisite silk, silver and gold thread needlework pomander purse is covered in needlework of floral design with a gold fringe and drawstring with four tassels and measures barely 2 inches in its body.
Royal Collection © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Do get along to see In Fine Style: The Art of Tudor and Stuart Fashion is at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace. The exhibition runs from Friday, 10 May 2013 to Sunday, 06 October 2013. You can read all about it and see all the exhibits with zoomable lenses by clicking here.
Royal Collection © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
I was excited enough to want to go and see this exhibiton when I knew there was a frog purse in it. Now that I know that all of the goodies above are in the exhibition too, I simply can't wait......
ReplyDeleteYou are in for a REAL treat, Marjan - have a lovely time.
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