Pair of Stockings
ca. 1780 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Pair of stockings made from frame-knitted green silk with clocks of pink knitted silk worked in the intarsia technique. These are finely embroidered in white green and yellow silk in a design of three elongated diamond green leaves rising from a basket surmounted by two birds facing each other. The design repeats twice more becoming gradually smaller. Above is an embroidery of similar but pink birds facing each other over a pink and white diamond shaped motif.
The stockings are unfashioned and shaped very slightly at the toe where they are seamed together. There is a seam on the centre sole and up the back of the stocking. They are just over knee-length and have two green stripes at the welt, as well as a narrow border which is turned over and stitched in white silk.
The stockings are unfashioned and shaped very slightly at the toe where they are seamed together. There is a seam on the centre sole and up the back of the stocking. They are just over knee-length and have two green stripes at the welt, as well as a narrow border which is turned over and stitched in white silk.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Silk yarn; frame-knitted and hand embroidered |
| Brief description | Pair of stockings of knitted green silk, with pink clocks, Spanish, ca.1780 |
| Physical description | Pair of stockings made from frame-knitted green silk with clocks of pink knitted silk worked in the intarsia technique. These are finely embroidered in white green and yellow silk in a design of three elongated diamond green leaves rising from a basket surmounted by two birds facing each other. The design repeats twice more becoming gradually smaller. Above is an embroidery of similar but pink birds facing each other over a pink and white diamond shaped motif. The stockings are unfashioned and shaped very slightly at the toe where they are seamed together. There is a seam on the centre sole and up the back of the stocking. They are just over knee-length and have two green stripes at the welt, as well as a narrow border which is turned over and stitched in white silk. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'E A COST A' (Knitted in under the welt of one of the stockings) |
| Gallery label | Silk stockings
These luxurious embroidered silk stockings were imported from Spain. 18th-century men's stockings are hard to distinguish from women's, except by size, which can be an unreliable guide.
Both sexes supported their stockings with garters, tied around the leg just above or below the knee. Garters were intimate items of clothing. Political and personal messages were sometimes incorporated in their design.
Stockings
Spain, mid 18th century
Hand-knitted silk, embroidered with silk
V&A: T.156&A-1971
Given by Miss B. Hinton(16/04/2016-12/03/2017) |
| Credit line | Given by Miss B. Hinton |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.156-1971 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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