This stole, composed of two swan's wings, illustrates the contemporary passion for using parts of dead animals for ornaments. The craze had intensified during the late 19th century. Despite numerous articles exposing the barbarities of the trade in exotic birds and animals, the fashion persisted. Stuffed birds perched on women's hats, and fox heads, tails and feet often adorned the stoles which they draped across their arms and shoulders.

The donor believes that this stole belonged to her mother. She wore it for the fashionable race meetings at Ascot and the 'season' in London between 1912 and 1913.