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A fine and rare 17th century gentleman's embroidered linen night cap English, circa 1620 image 1
A fine and rare 17th century gentleman's embroidered linen night cap English, circa 1620 image 2
Lot 34

A fine and rare 17th century gentleman's embroidered linen night cap
English, circa 1620

Fine Decorative Arts, 1200-1900
23 June 2021, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £5,100 inc. premium

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A fine and rare 17th century gentleman's embroidered linen night cap

English, circa 1620
the cream ground intricately worked in various decorative stitches and French knots with an elaborate design of chain interlocking scrolls, flowers, fruit, vegetables, birds and insects in coloured silks and couched silver and gold metallic threads, including 'Tudor' roses, thistles, carnations, articulated split pea pods revealing tiny peas, strawberries, songbirds and caterpillars and butterflies, 20cms high x 26cms wide (folded)

Footnotes

Provenance
Acquired by a lady collector from the Cambridge antiques trade sometime in the late 1950's or early 1960's. Thence by descent.

In the opening year of 17th century it became fashionable for wealthy European men to wear elaborate informal indoor caps. One type that was particularly popular was the so-called night cap, although despite its name it was actually worn during the day.

The caps performed two functions: firstly as fashionable indoor wear and secondly, but just importantly, as an effective insulation against the cold of unheated corridors and lesser domestic chambers. The reason this was so important was that men commonly worn wigs in public and to prevent irritation they shaved their heads so that the cap acted as a protective accessory. Some literature of the day on the subject of night caps even recommended stitching herbs into the cap to prevent illness.

Usually dome-shaped with high crowns and tightly fitting brims in the early 17th century, they became looser as the century progressed until they were superseded by turbans and smoking caps in early 18th century.

As needlework was an important part of the education and activities of a young lady in the 17th century, caps of this type became vehicles for showing off the virtuosity and craftsmanship of their makers.

A night cap conforming to the fashion of the early 17th century and comparable to current lot is in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Dating to the first quarter of the 17th century, the cap has a tall crown made up of four quarters and is decorated with gold thread lace. Although made from silk, it is lined with linen and is embroidered in silk and metal threads with stylised plants, 'Tudor' roses and thistles as well as birds, butterflies and caterpillars.

For a comparable gentleman's night cap sold at auction, see Christies, London, 3 December 2009, lot 4 and for a related lady's cap, see Bonhams, Knowle, 30th November 2009.

Although using naturalistic motifs comparable to the caps mentioned above, the present lot has the addition of particularly charming articulated pea pods worked so that these pods can be pushed back to reveal tiny peas.

Additional information

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