Not currently on display at the V&A

Cover

1800-1860 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Plain weave cotton, probably handwoven, embroidered with silk and metal thread in straight stitches and with pulled thread work; whitework.
All edges have been rolled and stitched in place. There is a border on all sides withdiagonal bands of pulled thread work alternating with satin stitch triangles forming one and two half lozenges. These bands change direction half way along each side, so there is a small triangle of pulled thread work mid-way. There is a narrow openwork border on the outside and this is repeated top and bottom on the inside; the inner side borders are needleweaving. In the centre is a hexagon of openwork edged with reciprocal diamonds. At the top, bottom and sides is a long-necked vase with the base resting on the edge of the hexagon. The one on the lower side is off-centre. The vases top and bottom are openwork and the ones on the sides are embroidered with straight stitches in a basket-weave pattern. The vases are edged with reciprocal diamonds. The corner units have an inward facing point. This is formed by a line of satin stitch triangles. To either side is a narrow band of openwork and an outer edging of reciprocal diamonds. Each corner unit contains a square of basket-weave and a small embroidered square. The ground of the central panel contains 4 openwork stems and many star-like flowerheads. The metal thread is used sparingly to add detail in an haphazard way, mainly to the centre of the flowers.
Cotton Thread: white, Z-spun
Embroidery Thread: white silk; 2S
Metal Thread: [1] silver strip open S-wound on white silk core [2] silver strip open S-wound on orange silk.

Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
cotton yarn, silk thread, metal thread, weaving, embroidering, whitework
Brief description
embroidered, 1800s, Persian; Whitework
Physical description
Plain weave cotton, probably handwoven, embroidered with silk and metal thread in straight stitches and with pulled thread work; whitework.
All edges have been rolled and stitched in place. There is a border on all sides withdiagonal bands of pulled thread work alternating with satin stitch triangles forming one and two half lozenges. These bands change direction half way along each side, so there is a small triangle of pulled thread work mid-way. There is a narrow openwork border on the outside and this is repeated top and bottom on the inside; the inner side borders are needleweaving. In the centre is a hexagon of openwork edged with reciprocal diamonds. At the top, bottom and sides is a long-necked vase with the base resting on the edge of the hexagon. The one on the lower side is off-centre. The vases top and bottom are openwork and the ones on the sides are embroidered with straight stitches in a basket-weave pattern. The vases are edged with reciprocal diamonds. The corner units have an inward facing point. This is formed by a line of satin stitch triangles. To either side is a narrow band of openwork and an outer edging of reciprocal diamonds. Each corner unit contains a square of basket-weave and a small embroidered square. The ground of the central panel contains 4 openwork stems and many star-like flowerheads. The metal thread is used sparingly to add detail in an haphazard way, mainly to the centre of the flowers.
Cotton Thread: white, Z-spun
Embroidery Thread: white silk; 2S
Metal Thread: [1] silver strip open S-wound on white silk core [2] silver strip open S-wound on orange silk.
Dimensions
  • Length: 38cm
  • Width: 37cm
Bibliographic reference
Published in 'Iranian Textiles' by Jennifer Wearden and Patricia L Baker (V&A Publishing, 2010) Plate 44.
Collection
Accession number
2382-1876

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Record createdJune 11, 2008
Record URL
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