Royal Historic Interest - by repute a sixteenth century piec...

Hammer

£2,400

Royal Historic Interest - by repute a sixteenth century piece of embroidery worked by Mary Queen of Scots whilst held at Chartley Hall between December 1585 and September 1586. Comprising different sized panels of finely worked yellow silk on cotton depicting flowers and garlands in the French manner. Sewn together to form part of a bed valance. Mary Queen of Scots and her household were known to have created quite a few pieces of embroidery during her confinement and an inventory of her items taken when at Chartley confirms embroidered pieces.
Provenance: The piece is accompanied by letters and notes as follows: Letter, hand written, sent from 4 Victoria Road, Sherwood, Nottingham and dated 27.2.44: 'Dear Lady Eveline, Just a line to let you know that Nurse Cain is pretty much the same and has decided to give up her house. It is her wish that you should have the enclosed piece of Tapestry, the history of which you will find on the enclosed writing. Yours faithfully A.M.Sheppard.'
Note hand written on printed headed paper from The Kennels, Thoresby Park, Ollerton, Newark, Notts: 'This piece of needlework was sent to me by Nurse Cain when she was in her last illness. She had told me that the hangings of which these were a part were repaired when her grandmother was housekeeper at Chartley. These bed hangings were said to have been worked by Mary Queen of Scots when she was a prisoner at Chartley. Some of the worn pieces were cut out, Miss Cain's grandmother kept them.[indistinct initials].'
A label, hand written, stating 'Piece of Scotch quilting worked by Mary Queen of Scots when at Chartley Staffordshire (fragment of bed-curtains'.
And a newspaper cutting with handwritten annotation 'Guardian 11th 9th 34' the article titled 'MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS Relics In Needlework Exhibition' which refers to a National Exhibition of Needlework at the Royal Scottish Academy Galleries, Edinburgh - no specific reference to this piece or Chartley is made.