Victorian Woman Walking a Bird — Hand Hooked Wool Rug — G.V. Ayres, 2017

About This Piece

A prim Victorian-era woman in a black top hat, green-tinged hair, crimson fitted jacket, and floor-length tartan skirt strides forward, holding a lavender leash attached to a magnificent teal folk art bird — part hen, part peacock, all whimsy. The bird, adorned with a purple ruff collar and a yellow daisy at its breast, stands on red claws against a mossy earth-toned ground. Behind the figures, the golden-amber background swirls with spiral tendrils in warm peach, mustard, and cream — an atmospheric, almost dreamlike treatment that gives the whole scene the quality of a vision from a fairy tale.

This is a deeply personal and imaginative piece. No pattern designer is noted on the label — it may be an original composition or a long-forgotten pattern that Grace chose not to record. What is certain is that it was hand-hooked in 2017 by G.V. Ayres of Onley, Virginia, at approximately age 77 — two years before her final known piece ('Sparkle,' 2019). The label, written directly on the red-stripe ticking hanging sleeve, records simply: 'Hooked by G.V. Ayres 2017.' The mustard-gold wool binding frames the piece on all sides, and a generous hanging sleeve with a wooden dowel makes it ready to display.

A captivating piece for collectors of folk art, Victorian and Edwardian imagery, whimsical figurative art, bird motif decor, or anyone drawn to the strange and wonderful world of American primitive rug hooking. The composition is genuinely unusual — the pairing of a formal Victorian figure with a fantastical folk art bird is the kind of image that stays with you.

Product Details

• Pattern Title: Unknown / untitled — Victorian woman walking a folk art bird

• Pattern Designer: Unknown (not recorded on label)

• Maker: G.V. Ayres (Grace V. Ayres) — Onley, Virginia

• Year Completed: 2017 (approximate age 77)

• Technique: Hand hooked — every loop pulled individually by hand

• Material: Wool on backing

• Size: Approximately 12" wide x 16" tall (portrait orientation; see tape measure photos)

• Motif: Victorian woman in top hat and tartan skirt walking a teal folk art bird on a lavender leash; swirling golden background with spiral motifs — Victorian / whimsical / bird folk art / figurative primitive

• Color Palette: Golden amber/mustard (background field); crimson red (jacket); dark navy/black (hat, shoes); tartan red-green-black-gold (skirt); teal, dark navy, magenta/red (bird body); lavender (leash, hat band, collar); cream and peach (skin, spiral accents); earthy mauve-pink-grey (ground strip)

• Edge Finish: Mustard/golden amber felt-like wool binding sewn all around

• Reverse: Tan/mustard canvas backing; red-stripe ticking hanging sleeve with maker's label written directly on sleeve

• Hanging: Red-stripe ticking sleeve with wooden dowel rod at top — ready to hang immediately

• Provenance Label: 'Hooked by G.V. Ayres 2017' — written on ticking sleeve

• Collection Context: Penultimate known dated piece from Grace V. Ayres, whose documented work spans 2004–2019

Condition Notes

• Overall condition: Good — warm, rich color palette; distinctive composition intact

• Some general loop wear and compression in the golden background field — most visible in the lighter spiral areas; consistent with age

• The figure, bird, and lower ground strip retain good loop integrity and are visually clear

• Some areas of the background show slight backing visibility through compressed loops — most notable in the upper left quadrant

• A few scattered loose fibers on surface — minor and cosmetic

• Mustard binding is intact all around; corners secure

• Hanging sleeve and wooden dowel are attached and functional

• Provenance label is legible

• No holes, tears, staining, or odors noted

• Please review all photos carefully — happy to provide additional images on request

Shipping & Returns

• FREE shipping — carefully packed flat and fully protected for safe delivery

• Returns accepted for any reason — your satisfaction is fully guaranteed

• Questions? Happy to provide additional photos or measurements before you purchase

Where else but folk art do proper Victorian ladies walk teal birds on lavender leashes?