[17th-century(?) hand-embroidered book cover, incorporating earlier (approximately 1400) Italian elements]

Timespan:

17th century; 15th century; 14th century

Date:

1660s

Description:

Front cover: item is a hand-embroidered red velvet book cover, quarto size, incorporating an earlier fragment of an embroidered liturgical textile produced in Italy (likely Florence) around 1400; depicts a female Saint with a halo dressed in yellow and blue (blue) robes. She is holding a book with an embroidered cover in white. The image is set against a background of gold-wrapped threads in a vine scroll pattern in relief; this may be original to the earlier embroidery, or it may come from a subsequent (possibly 16th-century) repair. Foreward edges braided with two gold-wrapped buttons on front cover; two rounded cords with gold-wrapped threads on back cover for button holders. Spine: gold braid on either side of spine; with two braids laid across representing raised bands? Back cover: no decoration, but has two gold braids diagonally placed on corners. Inside book cover: one uncut piece of red silk sewn in. Entire object covers a somewhat pliable board.

Language:

Undetermined

Publisher:

[publisher not identified]

Relation:

The Henry Charles Lea Fund Home Page: http://hdl.library.upenn.edu/1017.12/366238

Subject:

Book covers -- Netherlands -- 17th century -- Specimens; Bookbinding -- Netherlands -- 17th century -- Specimens; Embroidered bindings (Bookbinding) -- Netherlands -- 17th century -- Specimens; Embroidery -- Italy -- 15th century -- Specimens; Embroidery -- Italy -- 14th century -- Specimens; Embroidery -- Netherlands -- 17th century -- Specimens

Resource Type:

Image

Form/Genre:

Metal thread; Embroidered bindings (Binding); Velvet bindings (Binding)

Physical Description:

1 bookcover : velvet, silk, metallic threads; 23 x 42 x 5 cm, opened; 23 x 20 x 5 cm cm, closed.

Related Place:

Netherlands -- Amsterdam.

Rights:

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Henry Charles Lea Fund.

Physical Location:

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Lea Collection, Z269.3 .E43 1600

Collection:

Henry Charles Lea Fund