Antique Arts and Crafts Crewelwork Mantel Pelmet Panel with Sunflowers and Irises, c.1890

An extraordinary antique Arts and Crafts crewelwork mantel pelmet panel, later adapted into an impressive full length window pelmet, with exquisite large scale floral embroidery and richly considered colour.

This is one of those pieces that stops you in your tracks. The original embroidered panel dates from around 1890 and features an impressive arrangement of large scale stylised sunflowers, irises and sweeping foliage, worked in richly coloured crewel wool against a deep plum red twill ground.

The floral embroidery is exquisite. The oversized botanical forms fill the original panel with an expressive, almost monumental quality, while mustard, ochre and warm yellow wool create a distinctive Arts and Crafts colour palette. Against the deep plum ground, the colours have an extraordinary depth and warmth.

The sunflower heads are particularly beautiful, with their centres worked in dense raised French knot stitching. The tiny knots create a wonderfully tactile surface, giving the flowers an almost sculptural quality when viewed closely. Alongside them, the sweeping irises and foliage are formed from beautifully varied wool stitches, creating a rich contrast of texture across the design.

The original panel has a wonderfully expressive architectural shape. Rather than following a symmetrical formal arrangement, its lower edge is formed from dramatic angular, stepped lappets which cascade downwards, with dense linear embroidery following their contours. There are four stepped lappets, with longer drops at either side. The combination of large scale botanical forms and strong geometric structure gives the original textile its distinctive Arts and Crafts character.

The antique embroidered panel measures approximately 114 cm in length and is believed to date from around 1890. It was aquired more than twenty years ago from an antique shop on West Street in Dorking, Surrey.

During its later life, the original mantel pelmet panel was thoughtfully adapted into a much larger window pelmet. Plum vintage twill chenille and a protective lining were added around the antique embroidery, creating an overall piece measuring approximately 280 cm in length.

This later adaptation is an important part of its history. The outer fabric and lining have themselves now acquired gentle signs of age from around two decades of use, allowing the original embroidered panel to sit naturally within its later form.

There is so much to look at here: the sweeping irises, oversized sunflowers, exquisite French knot details, dense wool embroidery, strong diagonal ground and unusual architectural silhouette. The scale of the original floral design gives it real presence, while the later adaptation allows it to be used as a striking window treatment.

For me, this is exactly the kind of textile that makes an old house feel individual. It has texture, scale, colour and craftsmanship, but most importantly, it has character.

A truly exceptional piece of antique British textile work, with a fascinating later life and an original Arts and Crafts embroidered panel of remarkable visual impact.

Details

Type: Antique embroidered mantel pelmet panel, later adapted into a window pelmet
Date of original embroidered panel: Approximately 1890
Period: Late Victorian / Arts and Crafts
Technique: Crewelwork embroidery
Design: Large scale sunflowers, irises and foliage
Ground: Deep plum red diagonal twill
Embroidery: Crewel wool, including French knot detailing
Original embroidered panel: Approximately 114 cm
Stepped lappets: Four, with longer drops at either side
Later adaptation: Converted into a larger window pelmet approximately 20 years ago
Later fabric: Plum vintage twill chenille with protective gold colour cotton lining
Country of origin: Believed to be England

Dimensions

Overall later adapted pelmet:

Length: 280 cm
Left side drop: 103 cm
Right side drop: 88 cm

Original antique embroidered panel:

Length: 114 cm
Shortest stepped lappet section: 35 cm
Stepped lappet drop: 45 cm
Right side drop: 75 cm
Left side drop: 93 cm

The original embroidered panel has an intentionally asymmetric stepped profile, with four lappets and longer drops at either side. The 35 cm measurement is taken at the shortest central section, where the shape rises towards an almost triangular point.

Condition

Wonderful antique condition for a textile of this age. The original embroidery remains strong, beautifully textured and visually impressive, with only a small number of minor wool thread pulls and other signs of age and use.

The later plum fabric and protective lining are also in good vintage condition, with gentle signs of age consistent with their approximately twenty year history. The panel does still have adhesive tape on the reverse side from when it was hung over 20 years ago which would need to be replaced or removed depending on use of this item.

The piece is substantial and structurally sound, with the original embroidered panel securely incorporated into its later form.

Please study the photographs and video carefully as they form an important part of the description, particularly when assessing condition, colour, scale and the irregularity of the original embroidered panel.

Shipping

UK delivery of £20 is charged separately at checkout.

This piece will be carefully folded without sharp creasing, securely wrapped and packed into a strong protective box to safeguard the original embroidery during transit.

It will be sent by Royal Mail Special Delivery, providing a fully tracked and secure service with full compensation cover.

If you would like to discuss delivery before purchasing, please get in touch. I am very happy to help.