7090.
Silk Damask; ground, purple; pattern, a diaper of parrots, and floriations, in bright greenish yellow. Oriental, 14th century. 11 inches by 4-1/2 inches.
Though of a poor silk, the design is pretty, and tells of the coast of
Syria, where many of the looms were kept at work for European use.
7091.
Silk and Gold Damask; ground, purple; pattern, fleurs-de-lis in gold. Sicilian, late 14th century. 4 inches square.
Done, as was often the case, for French royalty, or some one of
French princely blood, at Palermo, and sent to France. The stuff is
rich, and well sprinkled with the royal golden flower.
7092.
Silk Damask; ground, amber (once crimson); pattern, a diaper of flowers and leaves, in yellow. Sicilian, late 14th century. 9 inches by 5-1/4 inches broad.
Of a quiet and pleasing kind of design, showing something like a
couple of letters in the hearts of two of its flowers.
7093.
Embroidery in silk upon linen; pattern, men blue, women white, standing in a row hand in hand; the spaces filled up with lozenges in white. The women upon a green, the men upon a white ground. German, 16th century. 8-3/4 inches by 6-1/2 inches.
So very worn away is the needle-work, that it is very hard to see the
design, which, when discovered, looks to be very stiff, poor, and angular.
