CIRCA 1880-1900's, MAGNIFICENT FIGURAL BURANO LACE PLACEMAT SET,PART 1. Certainly one of the most beautiful placemat sets I have come across! This very rare Burano lace placemat set consist of one long table runner and twelve placemats. The lacework is meticulous and sublime, some of the every best I have come across from the wonderful lacemakers in Burano. One can only imagine that a set like this was created for either a member of royalty or for the aristocrats in Europe and especially Americans when they travelled on their Grand Tour through Europe acquiring Worth gowns, handkerchiefs, trousseau essentials and heirloom linens to bring back to the U.S. I have seen only two sets in forty-five years..and this is after handling and seeing many placemats throughout the years. The placemats have ornate shaped vignettes with different scenes in each placemat.I have broken this up into two parts but we also have other close up pictures if needed. There is elaborate scrollwork, vases, vines and florals surrounding the central vignettes. The beautiful images consist of pastoral scenes, love scenes, beautifully dressed ladies and gentlemen ,musicians, cherubs. There is the finest detailed wok on all the clothing and also wonderful detailed work on the surrounding lace. The long table runner measures approx. 50" by almost 20" across. I am sorry I have not included more pictures of the table runner because it is the most beautiful item.The proportion and scale of the vignettes on each end are large.On one edge the vignette contains a statue of the goddess of Love holding her arrows and a cupid on a plinth, while a gentleman courts his lady on a bench. The other contains ladies and gentleman enjoying a drink in a pastoral scene.The scrollwork is absolutely amazing throughout the entire runner with the finest needle lace with raised three dimensional flourishes,There are two smaller vignettes on each side, a lady in fine dress being serenaded with a musician or lover playing a flute, the other with two ladies and a gentleman. This set is remarkable and certainly would grace any Museum collection.The set seems unused, it retains in original cream patina. a few tiny MINOR openings, this set is in excellent condition. I am not sure I have put all the placemats in this listing.There should be twelve different designs.I can tell you that the set is more wonderful in person...
Item #AL1271
SOLD
