A PIECE of Victorian propaganda in the form of a fine linen damask tablecloth is set to come under the hammer at a Leyburn auction house this week.
The auction of Vintage Costume and Textiles takes place at Tennants on May 13 and and the damask is set to be a popular lot.
Detail in the damask tablecloth commemorating the Crimean War
When the intricately woven cloth catches the light, a detailed design is revealed, which commemorates the victory of the British Empire in the Crimean War.
The edge is decorated with a band of medallions depicting famous figures connected to the war, such as Queen Victoria, Lord Cardigan, Omer Pacha and Florence Nightingale.
These intricate tablecloths were made by D Dewar & Sons of Dunfermline exclusively for retail in London.
Dewars also made a one-off silk and linen version for display at exhibitions, which was much admired by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at Balmoral and which is now held in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
The tablecloth is part of the Goodrich Court Collection, Herefordshire, the home of Harold Charles and Blanche Moffatt, and is being sold with an estimate of £400 to £600. Also up for sale are a set of 21 Crimean War Commemorative Linen Damask Napkins, woven with central laurel wreath commemorating the Siege of Sebastopol and four smaller wreaths to each corner celebrating other victories in the Crimean War.
These are expected to fetch between £150 to £200.
- A fully illustrated catalogue for the sale of Vintage Costume and Textiles will be available on the Tennants website, www.tennants.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here