This elegant pair of antique Italian layover pillow shams showcases the graceful artistry of traditional whitework embroidery. The central motif features two delicately stitched lovebirds perched among flowing vines, blossoms, and fruit — a classic symbol of devotion and domestic harmony often incorporated into wedding trousseau linens.

The raised embroidery creates a soft sculptural effect against the smooth linen ground, allowing the design to emerge beautifully in light and shadow. Beneath the birds rests a stylized fruit form surrounded by foliage, lending the composition a naturalistic charm typical of Italian household embroidery from this period.

A particularly attractive detail is the framing of the sham with two different styles of drawnwork borders, adding refined texture while maintaining the quiet elegance of white-on-white needlework. Drawn thread work such as this required careful removal and reweaving of threads by hand, a technique widely used in Italian domestic textiles at the turn of the century.

At each side of the sham, slender floral vines rise gracefully from small urn-like forms, completing the balanced decorative scheme and reinforcing the romantic garden imagery that frames the central lovebirds.

These generous layover shams were designed to drape beautifully over larger bed pillows, allowing the embroidered panel to be prominently displayed when a bed was made. Pieces of this size and quality were typically part of a carefully prepared household linen collection or bridal trousseau.

The linen itself has a pleasing weight and smooth hand, with a softly luminous surface that highlights the dimensional embroidery.

Not recently laundered but presenting nicely with the gentle character expected of antique linens.

A lovely and evocative example of early twentieth-century Italian decorative needlework, perfect for collectors of antique textiles or for display in a romantic or European-inspired bedroom.

**Details
Date: circa 1900
Material: Fine white linen with raised whitework embroidery and drawn thread work

Measurements:
• Overall size: 40 ½” x 27 ½”
• Center embroidered motif: 9″ x 10″

Condition:
Good antique condition. Not recently laundered. Light signs of age consistent with antique household linens. No significant issues noted.

Collector’s Note

Whitework linens of this scale were often created for Italian bridal trousseaux, where symbolic motifs such as birds, fruit, and flowering vines represented harmony, prosperity, and affection within the household. The combination of raised embroidery and drawnwork borders reflects the skilled hand techniques widely practiced in Italian domestic embroidery workshops at the turn of the twentieth century. This beautiful pair were purchased from a Buffalo, N.Y. estate.

### ✧ The Wedding Pillowcase — 1861

The centerpiece of the grouping is a finely hand-sewn white linen pillowcase, noted in period handwriting as a wedding gift dated 1861 and bearing the stamped name **Ellen L. Bruckett**, identified as the mother of Eldon P. Bacon.

Worked in exceptionally fine, soft linen, the case displays the tiniest, precise hand stitches and a delicately attached lace edging. The slender proportions suggest use as a bolster pillowcase. The linen has aged gracefully, with oxidation and gentle toning consistent with long storage.

**Measurements:**
• 41¾” long
• 18″ wide

**Condition:**
• Age-related oxidation and storage toning
• Structurally sound antique textile
• Please review photos carefully

### ✧ Hand-Made Lace Collar

A delicate pointed collar in fine cotton, hand gathered and embellished with lace. The accompanying note reads:

“Elise made for mother.”

A sweet and personal example of domestic needle artistry.

**Condition:**
• Fragile areas to lace
• Gentle age toning
• Displays beautifully

### ✧ Broderie Anglaise Fragments

Two lovely pieces of broderie anglaise, likely removed from a garment, accompanied by the note:

> “Mother’s work. Pretty fine needlework.”

These pieces nicely complete the family needlework story and are ideal for study, display, or careful reuse in heirloom projects.

**Condition:**
• Minor age spotting
• Soft antique wear

## **Historical & Collector’s Note**

Textiles with **documented family provenance** are increasingly sought after, particularly when tied to early California families. This grouping offers:

* Authentic mid-19th century dating
* Named family connection
* Original handwritten documentation
* Multiple related needlework examples

Whether preserved as a study collection, displayed in a primitive textile vignette, or cherished by a family history collector, this is a quietly powerful survivor of women’s domestic artistry.

This antique homespun linen pillowcase is a charming survivor of everyday domestic life in the 19th century. Woven in a pleasing blue-green plaid with delicate red striping, the fabric has the slightly irregular texture and durable hand one expects from early loom-woven household linens.

The pillowcase measures approximately **23½ inches long by 16½ inches wide** and is entirely **hand stitched**, reflecting the careful work of the maker who created it for practical use in the home. The woven plaid pattern gives the piece a warm and inviting primitive character, perfect for collectors of early textiles or for display in a farmhouse or country interior.

Three buttons close the opening along one end. These may be later replacements added during the pillowcase’s lifetime, something frequently seen on textiles that remained in service for many years.

The linen shows the gentle signs of honest age and use, including several small holes and areas of wear consistent with antique household linens. These imperfections only add to its authentic character and speak to the long life this piece once served.

**Fabric Note:**
The pillowcase is made from **homespun linen**, a sturdy cloth woven from flax fibers. Homespun linen was valued for its durability and breathability and was commonly used for bedding throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The slightly uneven weave visible in the fabric is a hallmark of early loom weaving and contributes greatly to its primitive charm.

Today this piece would make a wonderful addition to a **primitive textile collection**, a charming prop for historical display, or a decorative accent folded into a basket, cupboard, or early bedstead.
# Measurements

Length: 23½ inches
Width: 16½ inches
# Condition
Antique condition with visible age and use.
• Several small holes and areas of wear in the fabric
• Buttons likely later replacements
• Overall structurally sound with lovely aged character

Please review photographs carefully as they form part of the description.

Size of this primitive Americana set is 70-1/2″ long x 45-1/2 “wide. Pillowcase 29-1/2” square.

Condition: Very nice. It seems the pillow case hasn’t been used as much, although both pieces very nice Some loss of material of the white linen on the covered buttons.

All over length including the 5″ fringe on either end is 49″ long x 23-1/2″ wide.

Unused and very clean.

A charming and delicately fashioned Edwardian pillow sham dating to circa 1900–1915, executed in fine white cotton with exquisite hand embroidery and ribbonwork adornment.

At the center rests a carefully stitched monogram **“N”**, framed by an embroidered floral wreath rendered in soft white thread. The workmanship is graceful and balanced — understated yet unmistakably genteel, as was the fashion during the Edwardian era.

The front opening is designed with two vertical panels, each embellished with pale blue silk ribbon woven through hand-worked ladder openings. The ribbon terminates at the upper corners in gathered silk rosettes, adding a gentle note of color and refinement. Notably, there is no ribbon on the reverse side, and it does not appear that there ever was — suggesting the decorative treatment was intentionally confined to the front display panel.

Each vertical opening is edged with narrow hand-crocheted trim, a subtle but thoughtful finishing touch.

**Fabric Note:**
The sham appears to be fashioned from a fine, tightly woven white cotton typical of the Edwardian period — likely a soft percale or semi-polished cotton, chosen for its smooth hand and suitability for embroidery work.

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### Measurements

• 32″ long (opening to opening)
• 21½” top to bottom

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### Condition

Not laundered. Overall in good antique condition with gentle age-appropriate wear. There are minor scattered spots visible (as shown), consistent with storage and time. The silk ribbon retains its soft blue tone with light age patina. The ribbonwork remains securely stitched in place with gentle age-related wear and softening consistent with time and display use. Embroidery remains intact and well preserved.

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### Historical & Collector’s Note

Ribbon-threaded pillow shams were especially popular in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods, often used in formal bedrooms or guest chambers. The subtle introduction of pastel silk ribbon into otherwise white bed linens reflects the era’s shift toward lighter, airier decorative tastes following the heavier Victorian aesthetic.

Monogrammed household linens were both practical and personal — identifying ownership while also serving as a quiet expression of refinement. Pieces such as this speak of careful needlework and the importance placed on maintaining a beautifully appointed home.

This antique redwork pillow sham dates to the turn of the 20th century, circa 1895–1910, and is worked in the beloved “turkey red” cotton thread so popular during the Victorian era.

At its center, a magnificent pair of stylized birds—resembling heraldic eagles or symbolic lovebirds—face one another beneath an arched leafy swag. Their mirrored forms and heart-like composition strongly suggest matrimonial symbolism, a common motif in wedding and friendship textiles of the period.

Encircling the central design are embroidered names, carefully stitched in graceful script. Such inscriptions were a cherished tradition, particularly in rural and Midwestern communities, where friends and family often presented a bride with a commemorative sham embroidered with their names as a lasting token of affection and support. Whether created as a wedding gift or friendship tribute, this piece clearly carries personal and communal meaning.

The border is finished with a delicate feather stitch in matching red thread, adding both refinement and structure. The ground fabric appears to be sturdy cotton, consistent with late Victorian domestic textiles. An older muslin backing was added at a later date to accommodate use with a pillow insert—an adaptation that speaks to the textile’s continued appreciation through generations.

**Size:**
Approximately 30” x 31”

**Condition:**
Typical signs of age and use, including light age toning and minor marks consistent with early 20th-century textiles. Structurally sound and well-preserved overall. The muslin backing is a later addition.

This is a wonderful example of American redwork at the height of its popularity—both decorative and deeply personal. Ideal for collectors of Victorian textiles, redwork embroidery, or meaningful wedding and friendship keepsakes.

**Collector’s Note:**
Turkey red embroidery enjoyed widespread popularity from the 1880s through the early 1900s. Presentation shams embroidered with names were often displayed prominently in the marital bedroom or best parlor, serving as both ornament and testament to community ties.

Size of the shams: 30″ x 31″. Condition: One little mend near an edge on one of the shams. Not very visible. The shams have not been recently laundered, so you will find some oxidation at the fold lines etc. However, all is relatively minor. The red thread still has nice coloration.

A fabric backing could easily be added to the sham to make a pillow. Or your imagination is the limit.

Although not recently laundered the condition is very nice. Freshly laundered and pressed these would be very special on a bed.