Beaded Strawberry Basket Design on a Purple Velvet, Unused Copy Book

No place noted: No maker noted, No date [c. 1870-1900]. [BINDING] [BEAD EMBROIDERED COVER] [WOMAN’S COPY BOOK]. 16mo oblong (6 7/8” x 8 ½”); purple cotton velvet over board, beaded embroidery design of a basket with strawberries on the front, dark green eps; fore-edge and bottom untrimmed; blank copybook of inferior paper; front and spine sunned , light spots on fabric, a few beads lots, sunned and age-toned eps; age-toned paper; very good minus. Item #2344

A meticulous rendition of strawberries in a wire basket worked in tiny glass beads on the front of this late 19th century velvet book cover. Glass seed-beads in red, white, gold, three tones of green, and blue fill the center of the front board. Executed on what is most likely a velvet-covered, purchased copybook, the hand beading work is expert in quality and would have been painstakingly applied. A lovely Victorian remnant.

Nineteenth century women’s periodicals like Godey’s and Peterson’s magazines, among others, not only featured stories, articles of current events, poetry, and advice, they also included patterns for clothing and home design. Many included needlework patterns and iron-on transfers. It is possible that a design and beading instructions like this strawberry basket may have been presented in a publication like this. It is also possible that this may be the design of an accomplished needleworker who made their own design.

Price: $250.00