A cotton kerchief embroidered with silk and metal thread, Turkey, 19th century

Kerchief, cotton embroidered with silk in double darning and double running in a line, and with plate in padded satin and musabak stitch.
The border, which is on all four sides, consists of two alternating motifs which are linked by an undulating silver line, often edged with leaves, forming a meander. The motifs are:
(1) two bunches of grapes below seven cloud-like treees worked in browns and greens;
(2) a pineapple shape, worked mainly in metal thread with green and brown leaves in the centre; this motif is balanced on top of an upward curve of the silver meander and below it is a floral arrangement. In each corner is a floral stem within a curving silver stem with leaves.

Given by Mr J. B. Clarke-Thornhill

A kerchief is a square cloth with a narrow decorative border along all four sides. People used them on their heads or shoulders or tied them around their hips.
At the end of the 18th century embroidery designs began to develop into rigid and heavily stylised borders for towels and napkins. The colours are strong and embroiderers used greater quantities of metal thread. The designs were always inventive. The colours in some 19th century embroideries were originally very bright but they have faded to pleasing pastel shades.

T.158-1927