1314.
Silk Damask; ground, crimson (now faded); design, two golden lions with their fore-paws resting on a white scroll, looking down upon an orb darting straight down its rays upon the heads of two perched eagles, amid foliation, all in green. Italian, late 14th century. 26 inches by 9-3/4 inches.
A fine design, and sketched with great freedom; but the silk and
gold employed in it are not of the best.
1315.
Silk Taffeta; ground, brown; design, broad bands made up of eight red-edged orange stripes within two white ones. Egyptian, 10th century. 26 inches by 9-3/4 inches.
1316.
Silk Taffeta; ground, purple; design, narrow stripes made up of white purple and green lines. Egyptian, 10th century. 24 inches by 3-1/2 inches.
These scarce examples of Oriental ability in the production of very
thin substances for personal adornment and dress, under such a sun as
even the north of Africa has, were originally wrought for ordinary, not
religious use. They were brought to Europe as precious stuffs, and
given as such to the Church and used for casting over the tombs of the
saints, as palls, or as linings for thicker silken vestments. That these
or any of the following specimens of gauze or taffeta were ever put
to the purpose of making stockings, or rather leggings like boots, still
worn by bishops on solemn occasions during the celebrations of the
liturgy, cannot for a moment be thought of. Such appliances are, and
always were, made either of velvet or strong cloth of gold or silver.
