A wonderfully decorative piece of vintage needlework, worked with two rather magnificent peacocks amongst curling branches, leaves and oversized flowers.

Worked against a deep, almost charcoal ground, the colours are beautifully muted with age: powder blue, faded turquoise, ochre, soft coral and warm red. The elongated composition is particularly lovely, with one peacock perched above the other and the flowering branches wandering between them.

There is something wonderfully folk-like about the design. The birds are slightly improbable, the flowers enormous and the whole thing has that charming, handmade quality that makes old needlework so appealing.

It remains in its simple original-looking wooden frame, behind glass, with an old paper-covered back and its hanging cord still in place.

The reverse is very timeworn. The brown paper backing has numerous tears, holes and losses and there is some old tape at the lower edge. The wooden frame also shows the knocks, scratches and variations expected with age. I have deliberately left everything exactly as found.

From the front, however, it remains a striking and very decorative piece.

A lovely narrow shape for a small piece of wall, or simply propped amongst other old pictures and collected objects.

Approximate date: c.1940s–1960s

Dimensions: approx. 16 × 44 cm, including frame

Materials: Textile needlework, wood, glass, paper backing

Condition: Vintage condition with considerable wear to the reverse paper backing, including tears, holes and losses. Wear, marks and knocks to the wooden frame. The needlework itself presents well behind glass. Please see photographs for the full condition.

Sold as found.