Antique Pelmet with Heraldic Crests

This heraldic banner shows five individual family crests. The two end pieces on chartreuse green brocade are trimmed with a metallic lace. Each of these shows one heraldic crest. The large centre panel on red brocade shows three different family crests. Each crest is a combination of trapunto and other styles of embroidery including gold work, couching, and satin stitch. The shields of the crests that are trapunto are a combination of silk and velvet fabric, both showing some wear. The body of the banner is edged on top and bottom in a 1 inch wide metallic ribbon with a short fringe. The two ends of the piece have an elaborate silk fringe that is approximately 4 1/2 inches wide and is decorated with individual knots and rosettes. Underneath this fringe is an additional fringe of approximately 7 inches long of twisted gold thread. There is minor staining on the red centre panel, and some areas where the red brocade has started to come apart. In the three family crest of the central centre panel, the middle one has lost its trapunto padding and the other two are starting to come loose in the lower left corner of the crests. The entire piece is backed in brilliant chartreuse cotton.

Size: The piece is approximately 20 inches high, plus a 1 inch fringe on top and bottom, and is approximately 70 inches long, plus the fringes on either end, for a total of near 94 inches including fringe.