Pair of sheer handkerchief linen ruffled layover shams with Swiss whitework lace and superbly hand embroidered monogram circa about 1900. These shams are just over the top! They measure 30 by 34 inches; they are a combination of treadle machine stitching with some hand stitched seams as well. There are 3 rows of lace with ruching in between and a ruffled edge. The large fabulously hand embroidered monogram centered in the middle of the shams reads AE, the lavishly scripted letters are embellished with flowers, leaves and tendrils using a variety of stitched and sanding for a shadowed effect.
One sham has a small hand done repair to the edge and a couple small holes in the linen that are hard to see, the other sham has 2 1/2 inch hand repairs in the lace and 3 pinholes, they are otherwise in good condition.