Written by Richard Wymarc

• asoot
• embroidery
• german
• stole

Description: Stole (for a deacon's use), embroidered with coloured silks in tent (cushion stitches) on canvas
Origin: Germany
Period: 14th-15th century
Current location: Victoria & Albert Museum, London, England
Museum number: 8305-1863
Object number: O362713

Current Museum page:
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O362713/stole/

Current Museum Raw Record:
http://www.vam.ac.uk/api/json/museumobject/O362713

Original catalog description:
"Stole (for a deacon's use), embroidered with coloured silks in tent (cushion stitches) on canvas, with repeated pattern of diamonds bordered with angular ornament, and enclosing angularly rendered birds (? lions), with heads turned back and tails turned up. German. 14th century. 8 ft. 8 in. by 2 3/4 in. ...This specimen came from the Cathedral at Halberstadt, Saxony." (Cole: 230)

Personal Observations:

Fabric count: Fabric count: ~25 threads per inch (computed from photograph and given dimensions)

Colors noted:
The only photo available is in black and white.    

References:
Cole, Alan S. A Descriptive Catalogue of the Collections of Tapestry and Embroidery in the South Kensington Museum. London: Printed by Eyre and Spottiswoode for H.M. Stationery Off., 1888.{https://books.google.com/books?id=KRktAAAAYAAJ}
 
Images:
http://media.vam.ac.uk/media/thira/collection_images/2011ET/2011ET2191.jpg
Note: Outer of the two pieces shown, for the inner see Y-018

Patterns:
http://wymarc.com/images/patterns/pdf/Y017A.pdf

Written by Richard Wymarc

• asoot
• embroidery
• german
• bag
• fragment

Item originally listed on Christie's website. No longer  available. Current owner unknown.

Original Christie's write up:
"A MAMLUK WEFT-FACED SILK WOVEN FRAGMENT
EGYPT?, 14TH CENTURY

Lot Description
A MAMLUK WEFT-FACED SILK WOVEN FRAGMENT
EGYPT, 14TH CENTURY (CHECK THIS)
The simple woven linen ground woven in brilliantly coloured silks with a lattice of raspberry-pink, indigo, medium blue and lemon-yellow lozenges containing smaller coloured
panels, divided by brown lines linking small ivory lozenges, various associated small tassles, original loom width, mounted on board 4 3/8 x 7Ωin. (11 x 19cm.)

Provenance
Maurice Nahmann Collection, reputedly from Fostat

Lot Notes
Probably a bag face, particularly in view of the traces of original selvage each side. The vivid colours and associated tassels resemble those of a delightful Mamluk silk
applied patchwork bag with linen lining and embroidered with various colours, (Ashmolean Museum, no. 66, in Marianne Ellis, Embroideries and samplers from Islamic Egypt, Oxford, 2001, p.94)."

Personal Observations:

• This does not seem to be weft-faced weaving. Upper left the ground fabric can be seen, with the distinctive bunching of threads usual to brick stitch. In addition, an examination of the worn areas of the silk support this.
• Moreover, the description above is inconsistent: It talks about "original selvage" to the sides,but weft-faced weaving would then have the "stitches" worked horizontally.
• This was obviously a bag of some sort, the fragment now opened back up, you can see the line of tassels across the middle, matching the ones on the sides; and the damage on the left side mirrors above and below the horizontal wear line that was the fold.
• This is identified as a Mamluk bag, but aside from the bright colors and geometric design, it does not look like other extant examples, and uses a different technique.
• On the other hand, the motifs are of a different style than I've seen elsewhere: non-symmetrical pieces, use of ground division and color arrangement are odd.
• I have not found any examples of this kind of work from Egypt, and an examination of imagery of Mamluk textiles does not turn up similar decoration.

Assessment: From Western Europe, late 14th - early 15th century. Possibly arrived in Egypt in the possession of a traveler, or as trade goods. Church mission?

Fabric count: ~36 threads per inch (computed from photograph and given dimensions)

Colors noted:
Light purple
Dark blue-gray
Golden yellow
Red-brown
Light green
off white

References:
None
 
Images:
The original listing is gone but a version can be seen at http://www.azerbaijanrugs.com/mamluk/mamluk_flatwoven_silk_carpet_fragment_14th_century.htm

I have imagery and a PDF of the original page, if desired.

Patterns:
http://wymarc.com/images/patterns/pdf/Y015A.pdf

Written by Richard Wymarc

• asoot
• embroidery
• german
• bag

Description: Almoner's Purse without flap : Front, brick stitch on a woolen fabric; back, blue linen.
Origin: Europe
Period: 13th-14th century
Current location: Kerk O.L. Vrouw Geboorte, Tongeren, Belgum
Museum number: 40767

Current Museum page:
http://balat.kikirpa.be/photo.php?path=G002611&objnr=40767&lang=en-GB&nr=4

Museum description:
Beurs met wapens van Brabant-Limburg en van Bourbon (Purse with arms of Brabant and Limburg Bourbon)
Aalmoezenbeurs zonder flap : voorzijde, borduurwerk (platsteek) op een wollen weefsel; rugrzijde, blauw linnen. (Almoner's Purse without flap : Front, brick stitch on a woolen fabric; back, blue linen.)

Personal Observations:

Fabric count: ~48 threads per inch (computed from photograph and given dimensions)

Colors noted:
White Silk
Black Silk
Gold Strip
Medium Green Silk
Light Purple/Blue Silk

References:
None
 
Images:
http://balat.kikirpa.be/photo.php?path=G002611&objnr=40767&lang=en-GB&nr=4

Patterns:
http://wymarc.com/images/patterns/pdf/Y016A.pdf
http://wymarc.com/images/patterns/pdf/Y016B.pdf
http://wymarc.com/images/patterns/pdf/Y016C.pdf
http://wymarc.com/images/patterns/pdf/Y016D.pdf

Written by Richard Wymarc

• asoot
• embroidery
• german
• bag

Description: Bag (silk embroidery on wool evenweave canvas) with woven lanyard (silk) and 2 Turkish knots with silk tassels
Origin: Europe
Period: 14th-15th century
Current location: Collegiate Church of Soignies, Belgium
Museum number: D 2.8

Current Museum page:
http://balat.kikirpa.be/photo.php?path=Z001903&objnr=10152670&nr=74

Original Text:
"bourse (broderie de soie sur canevas unifil en laine) à lanière tressée (soie) et 2 noeuds turcs avec houppe en soie conserve, à l'extérieur, l'enveloppe à relique (os) en soie bleu-gris, fixée à une authentique du XIIIe s. (4,2 x 1,3 cm)
"undeci(m) miliu(m) v(irginu(m)", qu'elle contenait trouvée dans la toile IRPA n° 10152661, qui renfermait une partie des reliques dites de Constantinople, don de la Famille Baudouin de Constantinople
colorant: indigo ou pastel
bibliographie: Reliques et châsses de la collégiale de Soignies, Soignies, 2001, nr. cat. Cat. IV. T.41 ; P. Bertrand,
Edition des authentiques de la collégiale de Soignies, nr. cat. Cat.IV.A.27"

Google Translate:
"exchange (silk embroidery on wool monofil canvas) with woven lanyard (silk) and 2 Turkish knots with silk tassel canned outside the envelope relic (bone) in blue-gray silk, attached to a genuine thirteenth century. (4.2 x 1.3 cm) "undeci (m) miliu (m) v (irginu (m)", it contained found in the canvas IRPA No. 10152661, which contained some of the relics called Constantinople, Baudouin Family gift of Constantinople color: indigo or pastel
Bibliography: Relics and reliquaries of the collegiate church of Soignies, Soignies, 2001, nr. cat. Cat. IV. T.41; P. Bertrand, authentic edition of the Collegiate of Soignies, nr. cat. Cat.IV.A.27"

Personal Observations:

Fabric count: ~36 threads per inch (computed from photograph and given dimensions)

Colors noted:
Dark red-brown silk
Light gold/tan silk
Dark tan silk

References:
None
 
Images:
http://balat.kikirpa.be/photo.php?path=Z001903&objnr=10152670&nr=74 (See All Photos)

Patterns:
http://wymarc.com/images/patterns/pdf/Y014A.pdf
http://wymarc.com/images/patterns/pdf/Y014B.pdf