This bed linen comes from the same source as most of the bed linen in this auction. I recently went for a short break to the Basque country and at the same time visited the yearly held Brocante and linen fair which is in SARE and almost at the Spanish border. I was ticked on the shoulder by a elderly lady who had earlier seen me buying Old Basque bed and table linen. She asked me whether I was interested to see the trousseaux from her Maternal and Paternal Great Grandparents. So to cut a long story short I followed her in the car up the mountains and eventually arrived at the magnificent typical Basque style farm house dating back to 1770. Inside she showed me the beautiful and ornate Normandy Armoire in exquisite oak sculptured oak with brass hinges. In the armoire were some magnificent pieces of old bed linen and I was able to obtain 12 pieces. Every piece was in pristine condition and hardly ever used and the lady was so proud to show me all and explain to whom the linen belonged to in the family over all those decades. She had no children to leave it to and was very happy for me to obtain it all. Under the initials are ribbons and bow done in open Richelieu cut work with at each side again an open flower. The theme is repeated at each side Yet another piece of extraordinary bed linen. As already mentioned in previous descriptives these pieces were very important in those days and almost handled as if it was gold. The wedding armoires were richly and royally filled with thé most wonderful pieces of bed and table linen and both families and their children would have been hard at work. In those days ,each young girl worked to make her own trousseau. Trousseau, coming from the word "truss" which meant "to put in a package". A trousseau was the bundle of linen that every young girl brought when she got married. Sometimes she even prepared her pail. The initials B.D. stand for Bernard & Dorothea, and it is the second bedlinen from this marriage. The initials are very thinly embroidered in high relief with on the left stem of each letter a ribbon and bow filled in with fine embroidery. Leaves are attached to the thin initials and at the bottom are two open flowers done in Richelieu which give the initials a beautiful finish. Under the initials are ribbons and bow done in open Richelieu cut work with at each side again an open flower. The theme is repeated at each side The theme is repeated at the sides with again a garland of ribbon and bow and open flowers. Finally the bed linen is edged with a generous open thread work.. A rather Romantic bed linen. The linen that we offer for sale is not new linen, unless specifically mentioned, it is second-hand and old linen. As such it may have already been washed, used or even worn. In spite of the great care we take during the preparation, small imperfections can and may escape us. They do not in any way call into question the unique and rare character of these wonderful pieces. I present you our Antique linen unwashed, as taken out of the armoire, unless otherwise described . It is all clean, but plan to give it a wash before use. Please be aware of the above before you bid and buy. Thank you for taking this into account