Details

Object type

cap; coif

Place Associated

England (place of manufacture)

Date

circa 1610-1620

Materials

linen, silver, silver-gilt

Dimensions

overall: 265 mm x 450 mm

Description

Woman's coif (not made up) in tabby-weave linen embroidered with silver and silver-gilt thread worked in Ceylon, detached button, plaited braid and woven wheel stitches. Decorated with metal spangles sewn on with yellow silk thread in a pattern of flowers, including irises, carnations, lilies, borage and daffodils between coiling stems in three rows, repeating every two (A B C B A / D E F E D / A B C B A). Edged with silver thread bobbin lace. Later made into a cushion cover by being folded into a rectangle, stitched to a panel of red velvet (29.294.b). Now separated.

Coifs, a kind of close-fitting cap, were worn informally at home by women in all levels of society during the 1500s and early-to-mid 1600s. For the majority of Elizabeth I’s reign white linen coifs were favoured, either worn by themselves or under hoods and bonnets. However, in the 1590s to 1620s embroidered linen coifs, such as this example, became fashionable for aristocratic, gentry and wealthy middle-class women to wear at home.

This coif was purchased by Sir William Burrell as a small embroidered cushion with a red velvet backing. During conservation work in 1987 it was discovered that an embroidered coif had been used for its top cover. Fortuitously the curved edges had not been cut off, but merely folded in. When the cushion was unpicked the full shape of the coif was revealed. It is still possible to see the size of the cushion where, despite conservation cleaning, where the linen ground has discoloured and the silver and silver-gilt threads are tarnished from exposure to atmospheric pollutants.

Provenance: William Burrell.

Credit Line/Donor

Gifted by Sir William and Lady Burrell to the City of Glasgow, 1944

Collection

Burrell Collection: British Embroideries

ID Number

29.294.a

Location

In storage