8230.
Piece of so-called Bissus, of a yellowish white, with squares formed by intersecting bars of dark brown. 11-1/4 inches by 8-1/2 inches.
Though so unattractive to the eye, this fragment of one of the most
delicate sorts of textile manufacture is one among the most curious
and interesting specimens of this valuable collection. Unfortunately,
Dr. Bock does not furnish us with any clue to its history, nor tell us
where he found it. The large whitish squares measure 4-1/4 inches by
3-3/4 inches, and those deep brown bars that enclose them are a quarter
of an inch broad, and meant evidently to have not a straight but wavy
form. Another piece of this curious textile may be seen under No.
1238.
8231.
Piece of Yellow Silk, with a diapering of an artichoke shape marked with lines like letters. Moresco-Spanish, 14th century. 6 inches by 3 inches.
The texture of this silk is rather thick; and though resembling
Arabic letters, the marks in the diapering are not alphabetical characters,
but attempts to imitate them.
8231A.
Piece of Dark Blue Purple Stuff, partly silk, partly cotton, double-dyed, with a diapering of small hexagons. Oriental. 5 inches by 2-1/2 inches.
This somewhat strong texture seems to have come from Syria and
to be of the 14th century.
