Textile Fabrics / A Descriptive Catalogue of the Collection of Church-vestments, Dresses, Silk Stuffs, Needlework and Tapestries, forming that Section of the Museum

by Daniel Rock

1269.

Silk and Gold Damask; ground, light fawn-colour in silk; design, a large conventional flower enclosing another flower of the same character, which is filled in with a double-headed eagle displayed, and the spaces between the large flowers diapered with foliage shooting from a sort of fir-cone, at the top of which are birds in pairs hovering over the plant and having a long feather drooping from the head, all in gold thread. Sicilian, early 14th century. 10¾ inches by 9¾ inches.

1269.

SILK AND GOLD DAMASK. Sicilian, 14^th century.

Vincent Brooks Day & Son, Lith.

Though not so spirited in the drawing of its pattern, and the gold so poor and bad that it has become almost lost to the eye, this stuff is a valuable item in the collection. The eagle, with its double head, and wings displayed, would lead to the belief that it had been wrought to the order of some emperor of Germany, or for some Sicilian nobleman who cherished a love for the house of Hohenstaufen.