Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt
A selection of 10th to 16th century embroideries from the Newberry collection at the Ashmolean by Marianne Ellis (published Oxford, 2001).
Publications online: 66 objects
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Boy's cap with triangles and clusters
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Literature notes
This little cap is an exceptionally pretty and colourful item with its long crimson and yellow heavy silk tassel, silk patchwork and fine stitching. It was constructed by securing silk fabric shapes onto a linen backing (applied patchwork) with two rows of minute black stitches. Diagonal lines of running stitch were used to stitch the layers of fabric together. Tiny eyelets embroidered in buttonhole stitch in contrasting colours form little clusters, triangles and hooked motifs. -
Description
Caps from the Mamluk period (1260-1517) survive in considerable numbers, and the Newberry Collection at the Ashmolean Museum includes six, richly embroidered examples. This cap is the most vibrant of the group, and is constructed with colorful patchwork of silk strips outlined by minute clusters of eyelets embroidered in buttonhole stich.
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Details
- Associated place
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Near East (place of creation)
- Material and technique
- coloured silk applied patchwork, quilted, and embroidered with coloured silk; linen lining; twisted silk tassel; with stitching in silk
- Dimensions
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12 cm (height)
15 cm (diameter)
ground fabric (silk) 50 / 50 threads/cm (thread count)
ground fabric (linen) 16 / 16 threads/cm (thread count)
ground fabric (silk) 0.01 cm (thread diameter)
ground fabric (linen) 0.05 cm (thread diameter)
additional fibre, embroidery 0.05 cm (thread diameter)
- Material index
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organic › animal › animal product › silk,
- Technique index
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assembled › woven › plain woven,woven › plain woven,
- Object type index
- No. of items
- 1
- Credit line
- Presented by Professor Percy Newberry, 1941.
- Accession no.
- EA1984.123
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Further reading
Ellis, Marianne, Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, in association with Greenville: Curious Works Press, 2001), no. 65 on p. 93, p. 10, illus. p. 93
Barnes, Ruth and Marianne Ellis, ‘The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries’, 4 vols, 2001, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, cat. vol. ii, vol. i p. 15 n. 2
Location
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- currently in research collection
Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.
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Publications online
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Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt
This little cap is an exceptionally pretty and colourful item with its long crimson and yellow heavy silk tassel, silk patchwork and fine stitching. It was constructed by securing silk fabric shapes onto a linen backing (applied patchwork) with two rows of minute black stitches. Diagonal lines of running stitch were used to stitch the layers of fabric together. Tiny eyelets embroidered in buttonhole stitch in contrasting colours form little clusters, triangles and hooked motifs. -
The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries
A silk cap with patchwork designs of black, yellow, green and red triangles against a red ground. The triangles concentrate on the peak of the cap, which also has a silk tassel. Embroidery designs are made from button stitch arranged in circles and triangles.
The cap has a linen lining. The edge is carefully sewn with whipped silk stitching.
Notice
Object information may not accurately reflect the actual contents of the original publication, since our online objects contain current information held in our collections database. Click on 'buy this publication' to purchase printed versions of our online publications, where available, or contact the Jameel Study Centre to arrange access to books on our collections that are now out of print.
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