A cotton cover embroidered with silk, Turkey, early 19th century

Borders from a cover, cut and applied to a modern centre, cotton embroidered with silk in double darning, and double running in a line, with metal thread in slanted satin stitch and with plate in satin stitch filling in squares. The borders have been joined at each corner.
There is a narrow border above and below the main border formed by an angular green meandering stem from which a small flower branches to the left and then to the right; theflowers are in shades of pink, red and purple. The main border is decorated with a large pointed-petalled flower with a metal thread centre; the petals are in shades of red and pale pinks. To one side of this flower, and connected to it, is a curving green stem with leaves and smaller branching stems bearing blue flowers and others in shades of pink.

Given by Prof. R. M. Dawkins

At the end of the 18th century embroidery designs began to develop into rigid and heavily stylised borders for towels and napkins. The colours of 18th and 19th century embroideries were originally very bright but many have faded to pleasing pastel shades; often great quantities of metal thread were used. Napkins were mainly used to clean fingers during meals, but were also used as decoration and as covers. Their designs were consistently inventive.

T.516-1950