Antique French Damask Linen Napkins, Monogrammed Dc, Birds & Floral Wreath, Pair | C. 1900

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Description

There is a kind of luxury that has nothing to do with cost.
It lives in the weight of a … Read more There is a kind of luxury that has nothing to do with cost.
It lives in the weight of a cloth. In the way a woven pattern catches the light — not printed, not applied, but made, thread by thread, into the fabric itself. This pair of antique French damask linen napkins is that kind of luxury. The kind that was commissioned for a trousseau, folded into a cedar chest, and kept for a century by someone who understood exactly what they had.
The damask is a full-ground design of floral wreaths and birds — flowers in repeating bloom, birds woven into the field between them, the whole composition visible as a shimmer of white against white, light against light. At 31.5 by 27.5 inches these are grand — generous enough to have anchored a formal place setting, or to serve beautifully today as guest towels, a dresser cloth, or the most considered hostess gift you could give.
At the center of each, a two-letter cipher monogram with a chrysanthemum bloom at the join, worked in white-on-white embroidery. Not initialed — composed.
From a Martha's Vineyard estate. The collection of a woman who knew what she was looking at.
Details

Pair of 2 | Antique French linen | c. 1900 | Full-ground birds and floral wreath damask | White | Two-letter cipher monogram with chrysanthemum center | 31.5" × 27.5" | Hand-hemmed edges | Excellent vintage condition | Martha's Vineyard estate collection See less