Page:Textile fabrics; a descriptive catalogue of the collection of church-vestments, dresses, silk stuffs, needle-work and tapestries, forming that section of the Museum (IA textilefabricsde00soutrich).pdf/478

 now so tarnished that they look black. Sicilian, 14th century. 5-1/2 inches by 5 inches.

One of those specimens which will be sought by those who want examples of stuffs figured with animals. This stuff is shewn in Dr. Bock's "Dessinateur pour Etoffes," &c. 3 Livraison.

8634.

Piece of Silk Damask; ground, fawn and green; pattern, small squares enclosing leaves, birds, and beasts alternately. Italian, 14th century. 7-1/2 inches by 3 inches.

Though small, the pattern is good and comes from either a Sicilian or a Reggio loom. Lions, and stags with branching horns, eagles, parrots, and undecipherable birds, in braces with necks crossing one another, are to be found upon it; among the foliage the vine-leaf prevails.

8635.

Altar Frontal of Linen, embroidered with the filfot in white thread freckled with spots in blue and green silk, and lozenge-shaped ornaments in blue, green, and crimson silk. German, 14th century. 3 feet 10 inches square.

There can be little doubt but this piece of needlework was originally meant for an altar frontal, and its curious but coarser lining, may have been wrought for the same separate but distinct purpose. The filfot or gammadion, a favourite object upon vestments, is its chief adornment, while its lining, a work of a century later, is worked with a palm-like design in thick linen thread. At a later time, it seems to have been employed as a covering to the table itself of the altar, and is plentifully sprinkled with spots of wax-droppings.

8636.

Piece of Linen Cloth, embroidered with filfots, some in white, some in blue silk. German, 14th century. 1 foot 11 inches by 9 inches.