A magnificent Richelieu bed linen with large A.L. initials. The scallops are so interestingly designed and it looks like " small waves " clutching against the shores". There is so much details in the festooned finish. Normally these complex Richelieu designs loose their strength due to intense wear and tear by the ladies not taking off their rings at night and getting hooked to the tender design. But in their defense these magnificent bed linen were very sparsely used to deck the beds in Chateaux, Manor Houses. The reason being, washing machines did not exist in the late 19th Century. So the staff would go down to the local half covered washing houses adjacent to the stream with fully loaded wicker work baskets with bed and table linen and pound the linen against the smooth large rocks to clean. This would have done so much damage the fine linen. Instead much simpler designs would be used to deck the many beds and only on very special occasions would the "prime pieces "come out of the dowry armoires to deck the beds and these would be hand washed The initials A.L. are large and embroidered in high relief and each letter is holding a small spray of a olive branch. The scallops have flowers and the 2 end pieces have leaves. The sides continue with approx. 70cm.