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Not currently on display at the V&A

Sash

1635-1642 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
Sashes such as this were as much a military necessity as they were fashionable dress. First worn to distinguish opposing combatants on the battlefield, they became accessories for men during the middle years of the 17th century. This is a very richly decorated example. Similar lavishly decorated scarves can be seen in portraits from the 1630s to 1650s, worn with buff coats and breastplates.

Materials & Making
The sash is embroidered in satin, stem and long-and-short stitches, with couched work (embroidery in which the thread is held down on the material by stitching) in repeated vertical bands of closely arranged floral patterns. The lower edge has been cut into deep scallops and edged with metal lace.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk, silver, gold; hand-woven, hand-embroidery, hand-made bobbin lace
Brief description
Men's military sash, 1640s, English; maroon silk taffeta, double-sided embroidery in silk, metal threads, silver-gilt bobbin lace.
Physical description
Man’s sash, possibly made from a furnishing, of purple silk taffeta, one width of silk with double ogee pelmets at each end. The silk is embroidered double-sided with coloured silk, and silver and silver-gilt filé, in a pattern of figures-of-eight and scrolling flowers and leaves. There are stitch marks along the selvedges on each side, suggesting it was possibly part of a furnishing meant to be seen on both sides. It is partially trimmed with silver & silver-gilt bobbin lace.
Dimensions
  • Length: 266.7cm
  • Width: 68.6cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 15/02/1999 by NH
Gallery label
  • British Galleries: This sash is said to have been worn by Charles I at the Battle of Edgehill in 1642. The King's side wore red sashes, the Parliamentarians a tawny-orange. The King himsef wore a purple sash.(27/03/2003)
  • MILITARY SCARF ENGLISH: second quarter 17th century. Silk embroidered with silver and silver-gilt thread and silks in satin, stem and long and short stitches with couched work. Trimmed with silver and silver gilt bobbin lace. Said to have been worn by Charles I at Edgehill and afterwards to have been given to Mr. Adam Hill of Spaldwick who had saved the king's life. Given by Sir Edward Denny, Bart. 1509-1882(1976)
  • SCARF, military, of purple silk embroidered in short and long stitches with gold and silver thread and coloured silks. The pattern consists of repeated vertical bands of closely arranged floral and conventional forms. The lower border is cut into scallops and edged with gold and silver thread lace. English. 17th centy. L. 8ft 9in., W. 2ft 3in. Given by Sir Edward Denny, Bart. 1509-1882. It formerly belonged to King Charles I., who wore it at Edgehill, and gave it after the battle to Mr. Adam Hill, of Spaldwick, Huntingdonshire, who rallied his troop of horse and thereby preserved the life of the King. From the pattern of this scarf a china table service was made by Messrs. Chamberlaine, of Worcester, at the command of King George IV.(1888)
Credit line
Given by Sir Edward Denny, Bt
Object history
Embroidered in England; said to have been given to Adam Hill of Spaldwick, Cambridgeshire for saving the King's life

From the Annual Register of 1759:
“At the sale of the Earl of Arran’s curiosities in Covent Garden the Gloves given by King Henry the 8th to Sir Anthy. Denny were sold for £38.17.0, the Gloves given by King James the 1st to Edwd. Denny Esq (son of Sir Anthy.) for £22.1.0, the mittens given by Queen Elizth. to Sir Edwd. Denny’s lady for £25.4.0 and the Scarf given by King Charles the 1st for £10.10.0, all of which were bought for Sir Thomas Denny of Ireland, who is lineally descended from the said Sir Anthony Denny, one of the Executors of King Henry the VIII.”
Associations
Summary
Object Type
Sashes such as this were as much a military necessity as they were fashionable dress. First worn to distinguish opposing combatants on the battlefield, they became accessories for men during the middle years of the 17th century. This is a very richly decorated example. Similar lavishly decorated scarves can be seen in portraits from the 1630s to 1650s, worn with buff coats and breastplates.

Materials & Making
The sash is embroidered in satin, stem and long-and-short stitches, with couched work (embroidery in which the thread is held down on the material by stitching) in repeated vertical bands of closely arranged floral patterns. The lower edge has been cut into deep scallops and edged with metal lace.
Bibliographic reference
John Lea Nevinson, Catalogue of English Domestic Embroidery of the Sixteenth & Seventeenth Centuries, Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Textiles, London: HMSO, 1938, pp.88-89, plate LXV
Collection
Accession number
1509-1882

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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