Item 26-261

The cutlery carrier is made from a fine white cotton-linen fabric and folds into a long envelope secured by the flap. 

The embroidered name “Romain” suggests it was made for, or gifted to, a family member—perhaps a child or young man. Personalising household linens with embroidered names or monograms was a long-standing French tradition, particularly in the first half of the twentieth century.

These carriers were commonly used:

• For family picnics and outings.

• To carry personal cutlery on train journeys.

• To keep silverware protected in cupboards.

• As part of a young person’s trousseau or household linen collection.

The motif features:

• A bright yellow bird with black wings and a red beak, possibly inspired by a European golden oriole, a bird admired in France for its striking plumage.

• Stylised yellow flowers and green foliage.

• The name Romain, embroidered in lustrous golden satin stitch with a graceful underline.

The embroidery appears to have been worked with mercerised cotton embroidery floss, giving it the beautiful sheen that was popular during the 1930s and 1940s.