A most interesting stole. This must have been an apprentice piece which somehow got through the system*. This stole has been brocaded and is in a different technique to other Spitalfield stoles. I think this is the reason there are inperfections.
The terracotta twill weave brocaded silk with four large upright pines shapes filled with yellow, pale blue, mauve, black and ivory flowers, the lower borders with a small repeat design, short silk fringe, 9ft 2 in x 33 in/ 2.80 x 84 cm.
Spitalfield silk stoles nearly always have a patchy plain area. This is caused by the mordant in the dye changing colour over the years. This one is no exception.
*On some of the pines are little folds. I thought the fabric had just been flattened, but there is a definate weaving error, which actually makes the stole more interesting. That this was not destroyed but smuggled out seems quite remarkable. If you wanted this to wear, these errors would not show.
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