Panel
Object name
Date made
Late 19th century-early 20th century
Place made
Description
Late 19th-century or early 20th-century panel of zardozi work showing the coat of arms of the United Kingdom.
Content description
Late 19th-century or early 20th-century panel of zardozi work showing the coat of arms of the United Kingdom on a white silk ground.
The shield of the arms is worked as a single field with a basketweave smooth passing background and is surrounded by borders of pearl purl, silver and gold s-ing, and layered spangles. A flower made of layered spangles and gold check is featured in the centre.
To the left of the shield, a lion supports the arms. Its body is worked in rows of smooth passing and outlined in pearl purl and has small dark stripes of thread worked over the top. Its mane is placed in gold check cutwork and facial features are worked in brown and red threads. To the right, a unicorn supports the arms, featuring a similar cutwork smooth passing body outlined in pearl purl and a gold check cutwork mane. Above the shield, a small lion stands atop a group of floral motifs and silver check purl circles on a background of layered spangles. The lion is worked as a smaller version of the left-side supporting lion.
The outer border is worked in s-ing with a pearl purl outline and emphasised with small flowers of overlapping spangles with cutwork centres. Atop the arms is a crown, featuring cutwork, layered spangles, check purl and pearl purl outlines, and small gemstone motifs worked in light green and red thread.
Zardozi embroidery was practiced in India from the 13th or 14th century onwards as a form of heavy and raised gold and silver thread decoration on fine ground. Designs often featured natural patterns and motifs and peaked in popularity during the Mughal period. It is likely that this embroidery came from an embroidered letter or another type of embroidery made by professional embroiderers in India for the British monarch.
The shield of the arms is worked as a single field with a basketweave smooth passing background and is surrounded by borders of pearl purl, silver and gold s-ing, and layered spangles. A flower made of layered spangles and gold check is featured in the centre.
To the left of the shield, a lion supports the arms. Its body is worked in rows of smooth passing and outlined in pearl purl and has small dark stripes of thread worked over the top. Its mane is placed in gold check cutwork and facial features are worked in brown and red threads. To the right, a unicorn supports the arms, featuring a similar cutwork smooth passing body outlined in pearl purl and a gold check cutwork mane. Above the shield, a small lion stands atop a group of floral motifs and silver check purl circles on a background of layered spangles. The lion is worked as a smaller version of the left-side supporting lion.
The outer border is worked in s-ing with a pearl purl outline and emphasised with small flowers of overlapping spangles with cutwork centres. Atop the arms is a crown, featuring cutwork, layered spangles, check purl and pearl purl outlines, and small gemstone motifs worked in light green and red thread.
Zardozi embroidery was practiced in India from the 13th or 14th century onwards as a form of heavy and raised gold and silver thread decoration on fine ground. Designs often featured natural patterns and motifs and peaked in popularity during the Mughal period. It is likely that this embroidery came from an embroidered letter or another type of embroidery made by professional embroiderers in India for the British monarch.
Dimensions
height: 53cm
width: 53cm
width: 53cm
Materials
Stitches
Basketweave (goldwork) 
Pearl purl application
Couching in a circle (goldwork)
Underside couching
Turning metal thread couching
Spangles held on with purls
Pearl purl application
Couching in a circle (goldwork)
Underside couching
Turning metal thread couching
Spangles held on with purls
Techniques
Motifs
Catalogue number
RSN.1763
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