Front and back of an extraordinary chausable from the late 18th or early 19th century
This is a priest’s chausable, from the late 18th or early 19th century, both the back and the front. The front was made in layers from heavy linen fabric, backed on one side with a rich metallic brocade with metallic ribbons and silk, and on the back with a cotton fabric called bougran. I know this very particular name because whilst I was looking at this piece, an older couple came to look and informed me that they ran the silk society of Tours and were the French thimble experts and would I like to come visit them in Tours and learn about the real history of silk. So of course I would but I don’t know when that will happen! Anyway, now I know the name for this sort of cotton backing.
The silk on the front piece was a grosgrain-type silk, it has largely shattered and fallen away, but the central large cross with its amazing metal fil brocade and its frame of metal ribbon is still very intact. This is a display piece, or a piece to be reused for something that will be looked at only. It is large and quite heavy because of the amount of metal thread in it, and although the structure is robust, the textile should be treated with care. The back of the chausable accompanies it - it’s unusual to find the detached back along with the front of a piece of such age, but here it is. The back is not spectacular, consisting of a piece of golden metal fabric with some damage to the top part, running down the centre in a frame of metallic ribbons (all the metallic elements in this piece on both sides are made with real metal thread) but it could be displayed or it could be gently reused. it is approximately 112cm high and 67cm wide, with the back panel being around 75×55cm.
Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.
To purchase please contact me.
This is a priest’s chausable, from the late 18th or early 19th century, both the back and the front. The front was made in layers from heavy linen fabric, backed on one side with a rich metallic brocade with metallic ribbons and silk, and on the back with a cotton fabric called bougran. I know this very particular name because whilst I was looking at this piece, an older couple came to look and informed me that they ran the silk society of Tours and were the French thimble experts and would I like to come visit them in Tours and learn about the real history of silk. So of course I would but I don’t know when that will happen! Anyway, now I know the name for this sort of cotton backing.
The silk on the front piece was a grosgrain-type silk, it has largely shattered and fallen away, but the central large cross with its amazing metal fil brocade and its frame of metal ribbon is still very intact. This is a display piece, or a piece to be reused for something that will be looked at only. It is large and quite heavy because of the amount of metal thread in it, and although the structure is robust, the textile should be treated with care. The back of the chausable accompanies it - it’s unusual to find the detached back along with the front of a piece of such age, but here it is. The back is not spectacular, consisting of a piece of golden metal fabric with some damage to the top part, running down the centre in a frame of metallic ribbons (all the metallic elements in this piece on both sides are made with real metal thread) but it could be displayed or it could be gently reused. it is approximately 112cm high and 67cm wide, with the back panel being around 75×55cm.
Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.
To purchase please contact me.
This is a priest’s chausable, from the late 18th or early 19th century, both the back and the front. The front was made in layers from heavy linen fabric, backed on one side with a rich metallic brocade with metallic ribbons and silk, and on the back with a cotton fabric called bougran. I know this very particular name because whilst I was looking at this piece, an older couple came to look and informed me that they ran the silk society of Tours and were the French thimble experts and would I like to come visit them in Tours and learn about the real history of silk. So of course I would but I don’t know when that will happen! Anyway, now I know the name for this sort of cotton backing.
The silk on the front piece was a grosgrain-type silk, it has largely shattered and fallen away, but the central large cross with its amazing metal fil brocade and its frame of metal ribbon is still very intact. This is a display piece, or a piece to be reused for something that will be looked at only. It is large and quite heavy because of the amount of metal thread in it, and although the structure is robust, the textile should be treated with care. The back of the chausable accompanies it - it’s unusual to find the detached back along with the front of a piece of such age, but here it is. The back is not spectacular, consisting of a piece of golden metal fabric with some damage to the top part, running down the centre in a frame of metallic ribbons (all the metallic elements in this piece on both sides are made with real metal thread) but it could be displayed or it could be gently reused. it is approximately 112cm high and 67cm wide, with the back panel being around 75×55cm.
Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.
To purchase please contact me.