This adorable bird perched on a branch with leaves and berries is an embroidery design from Cassell’s Household Guide, Volume I, circa 1869. The bird image is Fig. 2 referred to in the paragraph below, copied from the book:
“The design given in Fig. 2 is one which may be applied to almost any article, and in combination with flowers, or an ornamental border if desired. The eye of the bird will be formed by a single bead, and the beak, legs, claws, and some of the feathers, should be worked in silk embroidery. If in this, or any other design for fish-scale embroidery, brilliant colour be desired, it may be obtained by using the scales of various kinds of fishes; or more conveniently still by tinting the scales, before they are sewn on, with the bright, transparent varnish-colours described in our preceding article on Fans, and how to make them (page 305, vol. ii.).” 
Click on image to enlarge.
Angela says
July 4, 2014 at 3:35 pmLovely thank you