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Cushion cover

Cushion cover

  • Place of origin:

    Turkey (made)

  • Date:

    1700-1730 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Voided velvet; silk pile on a white ground enhanced with an additional weft of silver strip wound around a white silk core

  • Museum number:

    101-1878

  • Gallery location:

    In store

  • Download image

The V&A acquired its first velvet cushion cover, or 'yastik' as they are called in Turkish, in 1852 and by 1900 had built up a collection of sixty-two. A few more were added in the 20th century creating a representative collection in both date and quality.
In late 19th and early 20th century literature such covers were sometimes called 'Scutari velvets' which led many people to assume they were woven in Scutari, or modern-day Shkoder, in Albania whereas the reference was really to Scutari, or modern-day Uskudar, in Turkey.

Physical description

Voided velvet cushion cover, with a floral pattern in red and green silk pile on a white ground enhanced with an additional weft of silver strip wound around a white silk core.
There is a relatively small, central, multi-petalled rosette surrounded by eight large tulip heads and many small rose buds. At each corner there is a diagonal spray of small pomegranate fruit and a rose bud. At either end of the cover there is a six-lappet border, each containing a stylised rose bud.

Place of Origin

Turkey (made)

Date

1700-1730 (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Voided velvet; silk pile on a white ground enhanced with an additional weft of silver strip wound around a white silk core

Descriptive line

Velvet cushion cover, with a floral pattern in silk pile on a gold ground, Turkey, 16th to 17th century.

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Turkish Velvet Cushion Covers by Jennifer Wearden, Victoria & Albert Museum [1986]
Black and white illustration plate 14

Labels and date

VELVET
Turkish; 16th -17th century.
Floral pattern in silk pile on a gold ground. [Used until 11/2003]

Materials

Silk; Metal thread

Techniques

Weaving

Subjects depicted

Roses; Tulips; Pomegranates

Categories

Textiles

Collection code

MES

Download image
Qr_O86609
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