Individual textiles and textile types»Book covers and book cushions»Book Cushion, England
Embroidered book cushion, England, second quarter 17th century.
Copyright Victoria and Albert Museum, London, acc. no. T.53-1978.
Book cushions were used to protect the often precious and highly decorated book (a Bible or Prayer Book) covers while the book was held open upon an altar or lectern. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London houses an English, padded book cushion that dates to about 1625-1650. It measures 28.5 x 20.5 x 9 cm.
The book cushion is made of pink silk and embroidered with a pattern of scrolling, interlacing stems around flowers worked with silver thread couched with silk. A coat of ams is represented in the centre of each side of the cover, which is surrounded by a laurel wreath that is worked with silver thread, silver gilt thread and red and black silk thread.
V&A online catalogue (retrieved 12 August 2020). Acc. no.: V&A T.53-1978.
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