Beaded Victorian objects are always difficult to come by. Fabric and thread aren’t always the sturdiest media and often decompose, rendering most antique beadwork ruined after about a century. Every so often, an example will survive and while they very rarely retain all of their beads, they are magnificent and incredibly personal artifacts. Imagine the many hours it takes to create a pattern with little glass beads. The artist and medium must have a very close relationship. I love to think about that relationship when examining artifacts such as this antique face screen.
Mounted on a turned wood stick, this face screen is constructed of silk-covered card. The whole screen is surrounded by gold silk fringe. The black silk has been masterfully beaded with a pattern of oak leaves in ochre, olive, black and white beads. Such screens would have protected the makeup of a lady (which was made mostly of pigment suspended in wax) from melting in the heat of the fireplace. This one dates to the middle of the Nineteenth Century and is English in origin. They’re rather rare to find, so if you come across one in good condition and can afford it, it might be a good idea to snatch it up.
I adore personal objects such as this. Not only is the relationship between artist and object appealing, I’m also fascinated by the relationship between the previous owner and the object. It’s a nice thought to be a part of an item’s history.
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