Thank you for the notes that have been sent today based on the post from Needleprint which many of you read.  I appreciated the notification of the jacket piece on auction at Christie’s tomorrow.  Please let me know when you see things like this.

But now the rest of the story -

This piece is part of a jacket, but the back in fact.  It is not listed correctly.  I did know about it but was being quiet as in fact, I know the owner of the front part.  The front of this jacket was auctioned in 2005 by Christie’s.  We suspect it is being offered piece-meal by the owner through Christie’s to maximize the total price.  I had been working with the owner of the front to study the front and was thrilled to be able to notify this generous collector that another piece of ‘their’ jacket was on sale.  The collector was understandably elated to be able to bid on the piece and try hard to bring them back together as they should be.  By not saying anything about it, we were hoping that the price would stay reasonable and therefore there would be a chance for these pieces to be reunited as the purse is not unlimited.  I have been very, very, very upset all day that the ‘cover’ was blown.

It is a tragedy that often happens when embroideries are put up for auction – if the object is in pieces or is a set and can be sold separately, it is.  The goal of the auction house or dealer is to maximize profit – often to the detriment of history.  It is harder to sell a set – such as samplers by sisters than each piece individually.  But as a needlework community, we loose a tremendous part of our history when these pieces are split apart.  It pains me greatly every time I see a family and auction house undo the hard work of a collector who understands the historical importance of related pieces.  There are some dealers in antique needlework who will refuse to break up such hard fought matched sets and I really appreciate their sacrifice of profit maximization for the good of all.

So this jacket piece tomorrow.  If you are thinking of putting in a bid on a lark, please don’t.  Know that there is a friend of historical needlework out there who is trying hard to mate this jacket back together.  This is a collector as dedicated to the study of this piece as I am.  Also know that this piece is tremendously, tremendously important.  From our work together on the front, we know that this piece is related either through workshop or pattern drawer to the jacket 1359-1900 at the V&A.  I can’t tell you how much I am praying that this collector gets the piece tomorrow as it will be able to join our collective knowledge and be another piece of the puzzle in understanding how professional embroidery was done.  If the collector doesn’t get it – it may go into hiding for some decades again.  I will let you know that in my experience, auction houses will not lift a finger to help you contact the buyer.  So we will be left to the one picture that was taken at best .

And it goes without saying – if any reader or someone they know does buy this piece instead of the collector with the front – PLEASE, PLEASE let me know and PLEASE, PLEASE let me look at it.  I will write more blogs in the future about this set and why we know it is part of the ‘family’ – the research on it is tremendously exciting.  But as for tomorrow – collectively hope that this piece stays in our midst!

Tricia