At 10:07 19/12/2006, you wrote:
Well, if you're looking for the period 800-1600, certainly I would highly recommend the tome written by Schuette and someone or other (memory fails me) called The Art of Embroidery. You can get it through inter-library loan, although I did so often I finally broke down and spent an entire year's book budget on my own copy. It is considered a rare book and you will likely have to use it in-house. It is also considered an extremely well-researched and scholarly book, with detailed provenance and technical background which is still considered accurate. There are examples in the book dating to ancient China and Persia, but for your purposes there are some exquisite examples of Opus Anglicanum (mantle of St. Cuthbert, c. 800AD to the peerless Burgundian Vestments, c. 16th century), all of which not only use copious amounts of silk thread, but gold, my own personal passion.Interesting, btw, you're teaching a class on this. I give several lectures, as well as teach several classes, on various aspects of historical embroidery, one of which is a history of embroidery.
Or you buy a much cheaper, but very useful small book by a former curator of the Museum of London, called "Embroiderers" which also has information about Opus Anglicorum.
http://www.alibris.com/search/books/author/Staniland,%20Kay Suzi _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
