Part of an Orphrey; ground, once crimson, but now faded to a light brown colour; pattern, quatrefoils, with angles between the leaves, embroidered with male saints in various colours upon a golden ground. Each quatrefoil is separated by a knot of three interlacings, and the sides filled in with a pair of popinjays, gold and green, and two boughs of the oak bearing acorns, alternately. On both sides runs a border formed of a scroll of vine-leaves, done alternately in gold and silver, upon a green silk ground. North Italian, 15th century. 2 feet 7 inches by 5½ inches.
The whole of this elaborate piece of needlework has been done with much care, and in rich materials; but as the saints have no peculiar emblems given them, their identification is beyond hope. Whether for cope or chasuble—for it might have served for either vestment—this embroidery must have been very effective, from the bold raised nature of much of its ornamentation.
8642, 8642A.
Two Pieces of Silk Damask; ground, green and fawn; pattern, intertwining branches of the vine, with bunches of grapes. Sicilian, 14th century. 9¾ inches by 4½ inches; 6 inches by 4 inches.
Another of those graceful green and fawn-coloured silks almost identical in pattern with others we have seen from the same country.
8643.
Piece of Net-work; ground, reticulated pale brown silk; pattern, a sort of lozenge, in green and in brown silk, hand-embroidered. German, 14th century. 7 inches by 5 inches.
From the circular shape of this piece it seems to have been a portion of female attire, most likely for the shoulders. One of its ornaments looks very like a modification of one form of the heraldic mill-rind, with the angular structure.