CIRCA: 1800’s
A Russian hand stitched embroidery from the 19th century that was used as a decoration across the front of an icon corner shelf (and believed to originate from the Saint Petersberg area). In the Eastern Christian spiritual classic, The Way of a Pilgrim, the author speaks about how “……in the devout Russian’s room the icon will hang or rest on a shelf diagonally across a corner…..and a reverence will be made to it by a person entering or leaving the room”. Outlined / bordered with a very fine white silk cloth, the main field design of raised flowers, highlighted with different sized and various coloured beads, are stitched onto a hand woven red cotton backing. It has been in the one collectors hands for more than a generation, and was framed behind glass during most of that time. While no longer framed, because of its relative fragility it remains mounted on a solid backing board. Attractive and well preserved, and in good condition for its age, it is certainly a collectible item as they are not often seen for sale. NOTE: the photo showing it decorating an icon shelf is Only An Example Of How It Was Used and not meant to imply this specific piece ‘in use’.