A vintage hand embroidered Jacobean needlepoint seat cover from Lee (Arthur H. & Sons).
The embroidery is beautifully worked, and the both the style and stitch are so well worked, it would be easy for the unassuming eye to think this was an original period piece.
There is a manufacturer's card label stitched through two eyelets bearing company monogram and giving typed and manuscript information: 'Crewel-Craft Embroidery, to the reverse are 2 dates; 1958 and 1959.
This is a rare opportunity for the discerning collector.
The measurements of the seat cover (including the ground) are; 61 x 65 cm/ 24 x 25.75 inches, the worked area of the seat cover measures; 54 x 40 cm/ 21.25 x 15.75 inches.
Arthur H. Lee (1853-1932) was an important textile designer and manufacturer who founded his prestigious family firm in Bolton in 1888, subsequently building a factory in Birkenhead in 1908. The company continued throughout the 20th century under the direction of Arthur's three sons and five grandsons before closing in 1970. The American branch of the firm, Lee Jofa, is still in existence in New York. As well as developing innovative methods of weaving tapestry cloths, and producing high-quality hand-blocked fabrics, Lee is particularly known for his revival of the practise of hand-crafted needlepoint and crewelwork. Such pieces now seldom appear on the market.
