A couple of days have been spent delving into large cardboard boxes piled all over the place in an attempt to rationalise some of the contents. In the process, we came across a small item which my late father gave to Much Better Half, not even knowing that she would develop a fascination with family history. Anyway, he didn’t actually bother to explain who they had belonged to or why they had been kept. The name Rosetta Brannan inscribed on one sleeve meant nothing to us, although the date did impress us – that linen was made to last. I wonder if she, or someone else, wrote those?
Engageantes undersleeve and cuff.
However, during the years that have followed she has traced back that Rosetta Catford (who married Walter Chorley* Brannan) was my 2 X Great Grandmother. That makes her a 4 X GG to the kids! Very much in Victorian times. I wonder if she personally did that fine embroidery? Very likely.
Inscription and fine needlework – those stitches are tiny!.
The pair are, I have found out, engageantes (pronounced ‘ohn-ge-jhont’ with no ‘s’ sound at the end) undersleeves with embroidered cuffs.
A fascinating insight into what GG Granny had up her sleeve!
The Catford family, by the way, has a strong presence in Australia.
Colonialist's Blog 
What a beautiful heirloom.
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I, a keen knitter, have tried my hand at embroidery and it requires a lot of patience which I don’t have….yet.
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I never did get the hang of being knit-witted. An aunt did teach me to crochet, though, and I also became quite good at macramé. Haven’t done that for ages, though.
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I would get it put in a box frame. It’s such a wonderful example of Victorian needlework. Very precious!
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Interesting, Col. Finding out about the past is always fascinating, but having a direct link is even more so!
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How very interesting.
I would definitely try to display it.
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We need to find the happy medium between enjoying them and preserving them.
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Pingback: Vintage Stuff. – A Tale Unfolds
I love stuff like this. I was terribly sad that I was not in the UK when my grandmother passed. Aside from the loss a grand old girl – she was 99 and just missed out on the Royal Telegram – all her stuff was sold off to goodness knows whom or where. I think she was largely responsible for getting rid of most of it unbeknownst to the family, just before she went to live in a nursing home, – she was going a bit gagga toward the end.
But we do have a beautiful set of silver victorian spoons she gave to The Wife when we visited not too long after we were married..
That lacework is definitely something to treasure.
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That is really sad.
My mom also went to town a bit when in her 90s getting rid of stuff we would have treasured to all and sundry.
Have you featured a pic of the silver spoons?
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No, but now you mention it …. a good idea for a blog piece. I shall fetch them shortly and see what I can do.
Give me an hour or so…
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The same thing happened with my gran, She had amazing stuff which she brought back with her from Hong Kong after the war. One day it was all gone, to some charlatan who gave her less than peanuts for it. 😦
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Going through boxes “in an attempt to rationalise some of the contents” – that is really well put! In my case, I would just have to add one more word: “…in a vain attempt”…
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🙂 We are lucky. We still have a few cupboards and drawers with unexploited empty spaces. Of course, a complication is that clothing etc had to be washed before being transferred to them.
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careful how you wash that old linen. It will be very fragile, and not fond of modern chemicals.
It is a beautiful sleeve, and the kind of needlework done my my mother and youngest aunt – who studied at the Royal School of Needlework early in the 20th century.
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We are far too scared even to TRY to wash them!
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Oh good. And keep the light off them, too.
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Do you see philosophermouse’s suggestion about a shadow box?
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Good idea
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I have never seen undersleeves before – and very cool play on words at the end – but what a special family heirloom – and that is tiny stitching !
When I first got married – two decade ago now! Wow – well target (the department store chain) had this “battenburg lace” collection and I did a guest room with many of the pieces – it was bright white and made with Ok quality – but I bet this heirloom piece is much sturdier – and as you note – made to last!
The writing is also beautiful – back when penmanship had the calligraphy flair!
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They were certainly an education to me, too. Even though I have been on the scene for some time, my era is certainly well after even the most elderly relations wore such things!
There is something irresistibly attractive about delicate lacework – and when I compare my scrawl with hers I hide my head in shame.
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Ha! Yes / talented for sure!
And I still think it is cool that they had accessories like this – ☀️
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I just found a similar nineteenth- century false sleeve in one of my embroidery books. Like yours, it was decorated with ‘broderie anglaise’ and lace fillings. The scalloped edges and simple repeated design are very characteristic of this type of work. Sometimes there were collars to match. I have tried the technique… once mastered I found it a very relaxing form of needlework..
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I like the technical terms! Relaxing? Doesn’t the tiny stitching give eye-strain, and cursing when a jab goes a fraction of a millimetre out?
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Those of this time may not have had extensive wardrobes, but they certainly ahd many interchangeable pieces for variety. What a delightful find. Are you going to have this framed?
(We’re going through boxes, too – found my dad’s toddler dress. How that managed to survive a frugal farm life, I don’t know. and some antiques laces from about the same period as yours.)
Everyday things tell real history
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We are certainly going to preserve them – whether in sight depends on space and avoiding anything that might cause damage.
Toddler dress can be dated pretty accurately, of course. In our case we were lucky these had the date on one of them. Otherwise we would have had to be guided by the period they were popular – and that can be inaccurate because many people maintain fashions when they have gone out of fashion!
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I actually found an old family portrait with him wearing the dress. (He was the youngest of 6 children. He died at 98 but had identified/dated much of what we had).
Right now our vintage lace/garments are wrapped in acid free tissue in a box like they use for keeping wedding dresses.
Am considering shadow boxes with special glass to avoid sun/light damage.
Was thrilled to see the date in the original owner’s hand on that sleeve.
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The portrait provides wonderful extra value. And, it is great that he bothered to date and identify items. My father was incredibly casual about such things.
Shadow boxes seem a good idea.
Yes, the date is a cherry on top, and enabled me to identify the items pretty easily with a spot of googling!
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Laced with family history and textile insights.
Not bad for an off-the-cuff post…
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🙂 Glad you took time to cotton on to those attributes!
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You and yer family yarns…
yet you did knit it together well.
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Heeheehee
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