17th century embroidery at the Royal Armoury in Sweden

I have a little treat for you today, at least if you like embroidery. My friend Caroline is an intern at the museum Livrustkammaren right now and she, lucky girl, gets to handle things and also take photos of them. When I saw the gorgeous pictures I asked her to guest blog here, but she declined and said I could post them anyway. All the photos you see her are hers, though and I think you should pop over to her DevinatArt page. She is a very talented seamstress!

Gloves, thought to have belonged to Maria Eleonora, Gustaf II Adolf’s queen, dated 1620-1632. Made in golden brown goat skin. The collar is stiffened and covered with brown and purple silk. Embroidered with goldwork, red and white silk, spangles, pearls and gold lace.

 

 

 I don’t know much about these gloves, but they are to be exhibited with the ones above, so probably date to the same period. Multi-coloured silk embroidery and goldwork.

 

 

 

 

The oddly modern looking red and white thing is something that decorated a horse at a tournament. I haven’t the slightest idea what to call it. Anyway, it is made of white taffeta with appliqués in silk, with some additional gold and silverwork. The fringed is made of silver and brown silk and it is lined with black linen. The colours are Maria Eleonora’s and it was made for her wedding to Gustaf II Adolf in 1620. It was made by the court tailor Baltzar Dinet and a man called Anders Pärlstickare (Pearl-stitcher). I don’t know why there are French lilies on it; Maria Eleonora was a German princess.

A never finished jacket in chamois leather, embroidered with brown silk and unspun blue silk. I think it’s a men’s jacket that was meant for Gustaf II Adolf.