1740 Silk apron
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1730-1750. An apron in cream silk taffeta, with embroidery.
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One corner of the apron
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The back of a corner
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Detail
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Enlarged details
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Details of the filé lace mesh on the central vase (above) and the right-hand corner vase (below)
Description
This is a dress apron and would have been worn on more formal occasions, when 'full dress' was worn.
From Claire Thornton:
The apron is 41½” wide, and 21” in length, one full selvedge width. The top edge is hemmed to make a channel to tie it to the waist. The ribbon tie is a cream silk ribbon nearly 1” wide and 62” long.
It is embroidered with coloured silks and metal filé and frisé. The apron has three vase-shape motifs cut out of the silk ground. Each voided shape is filled with metal lace mesh woven to shape; it is felled into place around the raw edge of the silk, then covered with a pair of couched filé. The filé lace mesh in the central vase shape is silver but the vases at each corner are silver gilt. Each vase holds flowers and leaves, the floral motifs all in satin-stitched twist using pink and cream silks to create a subtle shaded effect. The smaller leaves are also satin-stitched, in shades of green.
The larger leaves and the scrolling motifs between the vases are filled with couched silk stitches; a variant of cross-stitch in pinks, a basket weave with paired threads in green, and two fern-type stitches, also in greens, all edged with paired frisé or filé couched with yellow silk. The couched stems are of paired frisé or filé, or green silk cord. The apron is edged with the same silk cord, and around the edge are tiny holes, possibly stitch holes from a lace or other edging that was later removed.
Contemporary illustrations
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Detail of The Strong Family by Charles Philips 1732. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Robert Lehman, 1944.
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Detail from St James's Park and the Mall, attributed to Joseph Nickolls, c.1745. Royal Collection
