Exquisite handwoven pure linen sheet, mid-19th century to early 20th century

This is a handwoven linen sheet from a wealthy household. The linen is fine and of an extraordinary quality. The sheet has a drawn-thread top border and a handstitched lower border with the initials of the owner in one corner plus the number 13. This number indicated how many pieces of similar sheets there were in a set, and is also an indication of a wealthy household origin for this sheet, because it shows that washday was maybe once every three to six months, and that there were 13 of these handwoven sheets just for one of the bedrooms in the household.

Sheets like these, which were wider than peasant handlooms, would have been woven on a full-sized loom operated by two men (this was usually men’s work), one to throw the shuttle and the other to opearte the treadle and the beater, working in a room which would have been kept reasonably cold and damp so that the fine linen thread didn’t snap.

This is in perfect condition. It measures 188x298cm.

Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.

To purchase, please contact me.