antique shawl?

[regan]

View attachment 9134
I am wondering if anyone could help me with this shawl? I purchased it at a estate sale today. I think it is silk, because it smelled like burnt hair when I did a burn test but I think the fringe is rayon because it smelled more like paper.

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

Regan,

Just from the photos, it looks more vintage than antique. Old and vintage and lovely, yes. Can you tell us what the dimensions are? The embroidery does not seem to be as finely done as on any antique shawls I have come across (1920's and older), and the fringes look more mid to later 20th century to me. It could possibly be a piece made for the tourist trade, somewhere in Europe, South America, or some other locale.

 

[regan]

Thanks for your response. I realized I photograped the embroidery the wrong way, but I do agree the embroidery isn't as intricate, especillay after comparing it to a huge lot of Madeira linens I found recently. It measures about 95" x 95" with fringe.

 

[Linn]

Regan,

Does it have an opening or is it a 95" square? Does the 95" include the fringe? I am asking because if it's a square it might not be a shawl in the sense that it was meant to be worn - except on a table!

Linn

 

[regan]

Hi, it is 94" x 95" including the fringe. The inside square measure 45.5" x 43". It is almost a sqaure. Maybe it is a tablecloth.

 

[regan]

Linn, I think you are right, it makes sense that is a tablecloth because the way the embroidery design is layed out and the center is pretty bare.

 

[Jonathan]

There was some place that was know for ribbon macrame fringe... and I can't recall where that was right now. It's not China - they were known for the knotted silk cord fringe... was it the Phillipines? Sorry, I can' remember... but it was popular 1920s-30s, but I do suspect this is a "piano" shawl, although women did wear piano shawls as evening shawls.