U shaped lines, looking much like the kind of ornamentation noticed under Nos. 8591, 8596, 8599. Below, and back to back, or—as some may choose to see them—affronted, and biting the stems of the foliage, are two giraffes, with one leg raised—may be better described as tripping. They are specked all over with quatrefoil spots, and have head and hoofs done in gold, now faded to black. This stuff is as beautiful in design as substantial in its material, being all of good fine silk; though so poor and sparing was the gold upon the thread, that it has quite faded. From the curve at the upper end, this piece seems to have been cut out of an old chasuble.
1275.
Silk Damask (made up of four pieces); ground, brown, once purple; design, in gold thread and coloured silks, griffins, eagles, and flowers. Sicilian, early 13th century. 19-1/2 inches by 19-1/4 inches.
At top we have a row of griffins looking to the east, mostly wrought
in gold, but relieved on coloured silks, and having at the pinion-joints of
the wing that singular circle, filled in with a small design; then a row
of conventional flowers in red, crimson, green, and white, and, last of
all, a row of eagles at rest, done mostly in gold, slightly shaded with
green, and looking west. The beasts and birds are admirably drawn, and
when the stuff was new it must have been very fine and effective,
though now the gold looks shabby.
1276.
Stole, of silk and gold damask; ground, purple silk; design, mostly in gold, pricked out with green silk, a floriated oval, filled in with a pair of young parded leopards, addorsed regardant, and wyverns regardant in couples. Sicilian, late 13th century. 8 feet 4 inches by 3 inches, not including the expanded ends.
This is a magnificent stuff; but the stole itself could have been
made out of it only in the middle of the 17th century.
