An Italian polychrome silk embroidered and metal-thread cope early 18th century

richly embroidered in polychrome silk, and applied with gilt silver and metal-threads, with flowers and trails, with baskets of fruit and birds, grape vines and motifs including sunbursts, within cartouches, two birds hold aloft a crown, underneath the applied vestigial hood, all embroidered upon a cream silk ground, the top panel and hood edged with golden ribbon braid, and the demi-lune side edged with golden metal fringing

Colours more attractive than in the photograph. Not as red, but lighter overall. Velcro attached across the top edge and on the sweep of edges around the lower edge, and attached to a demi-lune wooden board with two supporting hoops. Note that there is a metal fringe around the demi-lune edge, which has been cropped out of the image, but is attached to the cope. Two braid tabs attached along top edge of cope. Comprised of seven separate joined panels, across the width of cope. There are areas with splits and of wear vertically along the vertical join marks, and lining visible in small areas. Loosely lined with cotton. Some loose silk threads in places and metal threads tarnished. The embroidery is in good condition. It is the silk which has areas of wear. Underneath the vestigial hood the brightness of the original colours and metals and the creamy silk ground are visible. The cope is in good overall condition and very decorative, with finely worked charming motifs.
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