How do I hang a silk panel safely?

Keep textile panels out of direct sunlight to prevent the silk threads and painted details from fading over time. Ensure the frame remains sealed behind glass to protect the fabric from dust and household humidity.

Are these panels all English?

The selection includes pieces from varied geographic origins, encompassing Chinese embroideries, Greek island fragments, and Ottoman works alongside English samplers. Each region utilised distinct motifs, colour palettes, and stitching techniques that reflect local textile traditions.

How can I tell a seventeenth century panel from a nineteenth century one?

Early works often feature specific needlework styles like stumpwork depicting historical figures, or narrow band samplers worked on linen. Later nineteenth-century examples frequently incorporate machine-assisted elements, different framing materials, or distinct floral and avian pictorial subjects.

What is the difference between a sampler and a picture?

A sampler typically records alphabets, numbers, and geometric bands to display technical skill, often created by younger makers. A picture portrays a complete narrative scene, such as a pastoral landscape or figures among flowers, framed as a finished artwork.