Product info

Set of two 19th Century French gold leaf curtain pelmets or valances. Can also be used as bed coronas or canopies.

A valance is a type of cornice (in modern times referred to as a “French return rod”) that is used in a window treatment. The valance would be affixed to the wall above the top of a window. Curtains or specialty fabric would be affixed to the valance and hang a few inches in front of the glass.

In the mid-1700’s, only nobility and the upper class could afford window coverings. By the early 19th century, when the middle class began to grow in number and prestige, window dressings began to spread in popularity. This pair of well-carved walnut valances can still be used as intended. You could also hang these above a bed that is against a wall and use them in lieu of a bed corona.