Mint Condition 19th Century French Paisley Shawl

This large rectangular 64 inch by 137 inch all wool French Paisley shawl is in mint condition, and is about the largest size a paisley was made. It is very fine quality. The design with the elongated 'boteh' or paisley motifs is very characteristic of French paisley. It is in such excellent condition for a shawl of this age that it seems it was rarely if ever worn or used, and most likely was stored in a trunk for most of it's life. It is woven in six colors, one clue to the high quality, giving the design great depth and detail. The paisley design covers the entire shawl, with no solid color center (see photo #6 which shows the center). The last photo shows the back and the wide color palette used. It shows how the weft floats across the back were carefully trimmed to reduce the weight and thickness of the shawl.

Item #: text005
—SOLD—