SPECS ON THE BLACK AND WHITE EMBROIDERED SILK SHAWL
Black and White Silk Embroidered Manton de Manila from Canton circa 1845 –
aka Spanish Flamenco Shawl or Embroidered Silk Piano Shawl.
The Heavy Weight Silk – the black fabric section is 64 inches square. It is then bordered by a 6 inch hand done macrame knotted lattice, plus 20 inches of long fringe around all sides in ivory silk. The final measurement is 116 inches square including the fringe.
Folded in half on the diagonal, as you would fold it to wear it, in a triangular configuration, this shawl is 7 and 1/2 feet across on the Hypotenuse – Black Silk Section – the macrame hand knotted lattice and the long fringes are in addition to this measurement – an extra 26 inches for the fringe around the outer edge of the shawl.
The shawl weighs 3 lbs or 1.361 Kilograms = 1361 Grams – It is exceptionally heavyweight for these shawls so it is of the very highest quality.
SPECS ON THE BIRDS OF PARADISE EMBROIDERED IVORY SILK SHAWL
Ivory Silk Embroidered in Multi-Colored Silk Thread in Patterns of Birds, Flowers and Insects – Manton de Manila from Canton circa 1845 – aka Spanish Flamenco Shawl or Embroidered Silk Piano Shawl.
The ivory silk section is 65 inches square and is bordered by a 5 inch hand done macrame knotted lattice, plus 13 inch long fringe around all sides in ivory silk. The final measurement is 101 inches square including the fringe.
Folded in half on the diagonal, as you would fold it to wear it, in a triangular configuration, this shawl is approximately 7 and 1/2 feet across on the Hypotenuse – Ivory Silk Section – the macrame hand knotted lattice and the long fringes are in addition to this measurement – an extra 21 inches for the fringe around the outer edge of the shawl
The shawl weighs 3 lbs or 1.361 Kilograms = 1361 Grams – It is exceptionally heavyweight for these shawls so it is of the very highest quality.
Both Shawls are double embroidered – thus embroidered on both sides – therefore completely reversible. There is no wrong side. Embroidery is extremely dense, again a testament to the high quality of these shawls.
These are true antiques produced in the specialty embroidery workshops of Canton, China. They were made specifically for export to the Americas – both North and South – during the mid-19th century. Both of them were acquired by a ship captain in Canton and brought by ship to Manila, then taken to San Francisco on one of the Manila Galleons where they were purchased from the sea captain during the San Francisco Gold Rush in 1850.
See the story of their provenance here. //ladyviolette.com/2024/01/28/two-antique-manton-de-manila-embroidered-silk-shawls-from-the-san-francisco-gold-rush-1850/
Rare and beautiful historic clothing and accessories are for sale in my online shops. If you see something on this blog that you are interested in buying, but do not find it for sale in my shops message me on Etsy or Ebay and I will get back to you about availability. I check messages daily and can always prepare a special listing for you if you do not find it already listed in the shops.
