Cap thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Cap

1830-1880 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Cap, woven wool, possibly twill tapestry, embroidered with silk in chain stitch with French knots, padded, backed with plain weave resist and block printed cotton, faced with woven wool trimmed with metal thread braid.
Four conical curved sections cut from the same fabric carrying a different part of the pattern; it is a turquoise green wool with assorted pattern motifs of large yellow composite botehs, red stems and flowerheads in yellow, red, light blue, pink, grey, white and black. On the lower part of each section and delineating the outline are composite tows [lozenges and V-shapes and dots] of embroidery with white silk in chain stitch and French knots which look like rows of pearls. [When 'pearls' were depicted on Resht work they were done with spiralling chain/tambour stitch]. There are two of these rows near the cap rim. Each section is trimmed along the seams and base with a narrow braid of silver metal thread and a strip of gilded copper.
Woollen Yarn: Z2S
Lining: a closely woven plain weave white cotton, perhaps originally glazed, printed with an offset pattern of multi-coloured floral botehs predominantly in blue, black, red, pink and yellow details.
Facing: pieced; bias-cut patterned wool [twill tapestry?] with alternate toothed stripes of red or white containing an angular meander in blue with yellow and black details, or green with red and yellow details.
Embroidery Thread: white silk; 2S.
Metal Thread: [1] silver strip open S-wound on a yellow silk core. [2] copper gilt strip.

Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
cotton yarn, woollen yarn, silk thread, metal thread, weaving, printing, sewing, embroidering
Brief description
M, embroidered, 1800s, Persian
Physical description
Cap, woven wool, possibly twill tapestry, embroidered with silk in chain stitch with French knots, padded, backed with plain weave resist and block printed cotton, faced with woven wool trimmed with metal thread braid.
Four conical curved sections cut from the same fabric carrying a different part of the pattern; it is a turquoise green wool with assorted pattern motifs of large yellow composite botehs, red stems and flowerheads in yellow, red, light blue, pink, grey, white and black. On the lower part of each section and delineating the outline are composite tows [lozenges and V-shapes and dots] of embroidery with white silk in chain stitch and French knots which look like rows of pearls. [When 'pearls' were depicted on Resht work they were done with spiralling chain/tambour stitch]. There are two of these rows near the cap rim. Each section is trimmed along the seams and base with a narrow braid of silver metal thread and a strip of gilded copper.
Woollen Yarn: Z2S
Lining: a closely woven plain weave white cotton, perhaps originally glazed, printed with an offset pattern of multi-coloured floral botehs predominantly in blue, black, red, pink and yellow details.
Facing: pieced; bias-cut patterned wool [twill tapestry?] with alternate toothed stripes of red or white containing an angular meander in blue with yellow and black details, or green with red and yellow details.
Embroidery Thread: white silk; 2S.
Metal Thread: [1] silver strip open S-wound on a yellow silk core. [2] copper gilt strip.
Dimensions
  • Height: 25.5cm
  • Circumference: 53cm
Bibliographic reference
Published in 'Iranian Textiles' by Jennifer Wearden and Patricia L Baker (V&A Publishing, 2010) Plate 68. Both the outside and the inside of the cap are illustrated.
Collection
Accession number
248-1906

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Record createdOctober 15, 2008
Record URL
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