Louis Gallien Archive

Craponne_2c 2015.1.038_3 11" x 3" Sunflower insertion
Craponne_1c 2015.1.037_3 11.875" x 3-7/8" Sunflower with scalloped edge.
Craponne_2a 2015.1.038_1 8.75" x 2.5" Square and flower insertion. Tag upper right.
Craponne_3a 2015.1.039_1 9" x 4" Cloth squares, tally flowers, scalloped border. Tag upper right.
Craponne_2b 2015.1.038_2 10.5" x 3.25" Square tally insertion.
Craponne_3b 2015.1.039_2 10.75" x 4-1/8" Square tally scalloped border.
Craponne_1b 2015.1.037_2 9.25" x 4-5/8" Woven leaves, geometric.
Craponne_3c 2015.1.039_3 9.5" x 4-7/8" Teardrop slightly scalloped border.
Craponne_4a 2015.1.040_1 11.75" x 5" Guipure cross, picoted square brides.
Craponne_4b 2015.1.040_2 12.15" x 5-1/4" Sunflower scalloped insertion.
Craponne_1a 2015.1.037_1 9.5" x 4-5/8" Rose & stars, points - Gallien tag pinned on.
Craponne_4c 2015.1.040_3 11.75" x 5-1/4" ~Iris guipure pattern with thick cordonnet.
Craponne_5a 2015.1.041_1 8" x 4" Half and whole stitch flower pattern, picoted cross brides, raised tallies, scalloped border. (glue)
Craponne_5b 2015.1.041_2 10" x 4" Guipure floral pattern.
Craponne_5c 2015.1.041_3 8.875" x 5" Swirling design with point & HC fillings, picoted square brides.
Craponne_6b 2015.1.045_2 9" x 5-3/8" Bird insertion. 2 tags upper and lower left.
Craponne_6a 2015.1.045_1 9" x 6.5" Bird design border. 2 tags upper and lower left.

Condition on all these items is very good, occasional glue spots or fading.

The technique of these 'sales samples' is very precise, and originally they would have been mounted in a catalog. One characteristic found in many of these is the woven 2- or 3-thread base. Gimp varies from very heavy to light, to none. Design ranges from purely geometric 'cluny' type, to more pictorial, to some more continous with varied grounds and fillings. All seem to have the same rather large thread.

The French seller found an enormous number of these samples (over 1500 pieces) all together at a flea market sale in 2015, and sold them on Ebay in sets of 2-3. I bought only a few, but kept photos of the others. Louis Gallien, Craponne sur Arzon is indicated on two tags, and was probably a retailer. Nothing is known about the designer(s). See the Robert Archive for similar examples and more history. They probably date before WWI.

see above for accession numbers
purchased 09/29/2015, 10/03/2015, 10/13/2015
first posted 08/04/2017