Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Amazing Arts & Crafts Shoulder Cape
This is such an unusual late 19th century shoulder cape, which I havent had very long.Never having seen anything like it, in all my textile collecting years,I took it to an expert who agreed with me that it is most likely an Arts & Crafts movement piece on account of the gothic style inscription in Latin which reads "nothing is impossible for man"...it may have origins in the "Glasgow School", so I am going to send images to someone who is an expert in that region.
The fabric is silk satin...very fragmented now and faded from what may have been pink, to a dull gold, and the cape is heavily padded. The embroidery is all machine applied, and the garment is quite stiff and heavy.
It is shown on my Victorian "Blouse Stand" which still has the original damask covering...age stained, but is missing the wooden handle from the top.
It is such an unusual garment, and the suspicions so far, are that it was made for a special event...but of course it is all guess work.
What an amazing pieceit could have been created yesterday by a talented graduate ....in fact at first I just thought oh goody Ellen has been busy making xxxx
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely
Hugs and thanks for sharing this amazing and interesting item
Lynn xxx
Those buttons on the cape look intriguing - what are they made of? I love finding original old garments too, and I wear a lot of vintage stuff; do you also enjoy wearing old things I wonder? Sometimes I feel a bit conspicuous when I do, but what the hell, it's good to be different!
ReplyDeleteHello Lynne,
ReplyDeleteI hope you wern't dissapointed that it's not my work :)
I have some interesting projects simmering, and I know I shall also make a collar...inspired by this, but at the moment I am too busy preparing for talks and presentations...and Christmas!
Following the exhibition in the summer I had three groups "book me" for talks etc. and the local paper seems to want to interview me now, so there is a lot going on.
I have also sent in several competition proposals....so although there is not much on the blog at the moment, there is a lot going on.
Hugs...and hope you are better now,
Ellen.
The buttons look like embelishments that I have seen on Victorian furnishings.
ReplyDeleteThey are wooden with silk thread wrapped around them....and as you say, rather intriguing.
Yes...I do wear mostly vintage....and 50s if possible.
I rarely but from ordinary shops, and do source mostly from charity shops and then alter the garments or combine two etc.and of course there is ebay.
I think it's good to be different too....I have to feel "like me" in what I am wearing, and as long as I like it, that's all that matters.
I would rather have few garments that I love, than a whole wardrobe of mediochre :-)