off-white

In the Register XLV of the Holy Archbishopric of Cyprus, for the years 1772-1833, which is also known as “Codex of properties of deceased persons”, among many other lists of belongings of persons who had passed away, is included a catalogue with the movable and immovable property of Evangelis Peristianis, consul of Venice at Larnaca. The recording was made on the 27th of January 1787, six years after his death, and covers 11 pages of the Codex (30-40). The reason these records were made by the Archbishopric was to secure the rights of the widow and the orphans to the fortune of the person that died. Additionally, according to the customs and laws of the time, the foreign state that the consul served was also obliged to take care of his widow and orphans, in this case the Republic of Venice. The list of Peristianis’ property included everything that was found in the house as well as in his workshop/shop. The house equipment includes tableware, cooking and storing vessels, furniture and clothing, with the monetary value of each item.

The inventory of the workshop of Evangelis Peristianis includes a remarkable collection of a variety of items: sacral vessels or utilitarian wares, furniture, books and personal items, raw materials, tools and also textiles.

Textiles and related items

30 arms-length of hettayin* each for 4 ½ grosia ** and 20 mayidia***             135:00

6 pieces of alatzia**** of Damascus                                                                                                         48:00

34 arms-length rason***** in red color from Florence                                       119:00

8 kannavitses******                                                                         24:00                                                   

4 zostres  of Halep*******                                                                                                 24:00

300 drams silk                                                                                                             8:00

440 miskals********, that is 660 drams lace (or ribbons) with klosin for 35 mayidia each 385:00

Cotton cloth, off-white with selvedge on both long sides. The narrow ends are cut. The decoration on the narrow sides comprises five groups of flower patterns separated lengthwise by pencil lines, marking the cuttings for making five girdles. Each pattern consists of groups of motifs arranged in two rows. On the upper row, a thick wavy line encloses within its curves a composition of three stems with leaves and flowers on top, four in all. Below this, in the second row, the same pattern is repeated in a simplified form, only three stems in each curve. This row was not finished, since three of the patterns are marked in pencil but not embroidered. The stitches applied are stem stitch (sap işi) and filling stitch (dolgu işi) for the flowers. The colours used are dark green, light mauve, beige, lilac, purple and orange, in different combinations. Total width: 87cm. Width of the individual girdles, according to the marking: 17.5cm, 17cm, 16.5cm, 18cm and 18cm, respectively. Length: 2.12m.

Girdle (uçkur/uşgur) made of silk. On all four sides there is a narrow hem made with the sewing machine. The ends of the narrow sides are covered with embroidered decoration in filling stitch (dolgu işi), each with two rows of eight stems made of silver wire (tel), one above the other. On either side, as well as on top and bottom of the stems, there are leaves in red colour. The last patterns of each row are folded and stitched into the hem, which means that initially there was a broader embroidered surface, which was cut to make more girdles. Below the patterns runs a wavy line, made of silver wire, with repeated triple (three united) leaves between its curves, in alternating green and red colour. The wavy line is interrupted in about the middle of its course. The other end has the same pattern with six stems in each row instead of eight. Here there is also orange colour in addition to green and red for the leaves. The wavy line below the patterns is partly folded over and stitched into the seam. At this edge a drawn thread separates two of the motifs from the other four, probably to mark an intended cutting. However, the patterns of the two sides do not correspond exactly, and, if they cut it, the cutting would cross through the embroidered motifs. Width: 21cm. Length: 2.44m.

Girdle (uçkur/uşgur) made of silk. Simple hem on all sides. A drawn thread in the middle indicates that it was intended to cut the piece lengthwise and make two girdles. The decoration on the narrow ends of the first girdle comprises the same upright flower as one of the two patterns of Nos 107 and 112. Two similar seven-petalled flowers, embroidered with blue thread, are repeated side by side. The stem and centre of the flower are bright yellow, the leaves beige with dark green outline. Linear motifs between the petals are turned into a spiral under the flowers and under the leaves. Three stars between the two flowers, two of them pink and the middle one yellow, in a vertical arrangement, complete the adornment for the first girdle. Exactly the same patterns are repeated on the other end. The only slight difference is that one petal is completed with dark blue thread. The same type of flowers but with five petals and in dark red (purple) colour form the decoration for the second girdle. Three star-shaped motifs with a hole in the centre are vertically arranged between the flowers, two purple and one pink in the centre. The other end is decorated with the same patterns and colour combination, with the exception of the three stars which are all dark red/purple. The embroidery is made with two different stitches (filling stitch, dolgu işi, and backstitch, iğne ardı). Total width: 26cm, 13cm each girdle. Length: 1.66m.

Long and narrow waistband (uçkur/uşgur) made of silk fabric. The length is 1.66m and the width 13cm. One long side has a loom-woven selvedge (kenar dokuma), while the other side has a hem 7mm wide, formed by simple turning of the cloth and sewing it with the sewing machine. The same turned-over hem is found on the narrow sides. Both ends are embroidered with silk threads in floral designs. They consist of two flowers in bright pink colour, yellow stem and centre, and beige leaves with black outline. Between these two flowers are three minute flowers, a yellow one in the middle and two in pink, one above and one below. The same pattern is repeated on both ends, but on one end the two small flowers are embroidered with red (kırmızı) thread.

Girdle (uçkur/uşgur) of coarse, off-white calico (kapot bezi or kaput bezi), factory-made. One long side has a machine-finished selvedge, while the other three sides are cut. Two different patterns, one next to the other, are repeated on both narrow ends. A pencil line separating them lengthwise suggests that it was intended to make two similar girdles (uçkur/uşgur). The first pattern consists of a wide wavy line with two curves in yellow colour, with triple or single stems projecting on either side. The stems are embroidered with backstitch (iğne ardı). There is also a pair of three-petalled flowers, one big and one small, made in filling stitch (dolgu işi), in purple and mauve with blue, and with mauve outline. Each pair is found within each of the two curves. Below these patterns, near the edge, there is a wavy line in mauve colour with small motifs embroidered in filling stitch (dolgu işi), within each curve, up and down. The colours used are mauve, dark mauve, blue, yellow, purple/dark red and greenish yellow. The second, completely different pattern comprises a composition of floral patterns repeated two and a half times. Stems of green and some of yellow colour are made with backstitch (iğne ardı), and light lilac flowers in filling stitch (dolgu işi). The same pattern decorates the edge of the other end. Here the motifs are more faded. Width: 43cm, each girdle 21.5cm. Length: 2.16m.

Girdle (uçkur/uşgur) made of silk in its natural colour. It has a loom-woven selvedge (kenar) on one long side and a narrow hem made with the sewing machine on the other three sides. Both narrow ends are decorated with three bouquets of four embroidered flowers repeated in a series. Each bouquet consists of two different types of flowers; one type is a four- or five-petalled flower and the other small blossoms on either side of a stem made with a gold metal wire (tel). The flowers and the thin curved leaves are filled with fine stitch (dolgu işi) in light blue colour. The two golden stems are crossed in the middle and the small blossoms are repeated – two on either side of the stem – below the crossing. All three are similar. Below the patterns runs a horizontal wavy tendril with leaves, also in light blue. Curved lines and stems are made in backstitch (iğne ardı). Width: 19cm. Length: 2.00m. Very similar to Nos 101 and 102.

Embroidered piece of cloth made of off-white cotton fabric, with a loom-woven selvedge (kenar) on one long side and the other three edges. The two narrow ends are decorated with three groups of similar flower patterns. Each group comprises a three-stemmed branch with leaves and blossoms on top. The central stem rests on a thick embroidered line, forming the ground, which has three short vertical lines on one side of the stem, and four on the other side. Below it is a zigzag line; the short lines and the zigzag are embroidered with mauve thread, while the stem and the ground line in pale yellow. The flowers are mauve, lilac and light green. Green is also used in two leaves of one design. The other two patterns are exactly the same, also in colours, but differ from the first one in the colour combination: the central flower is again lilac, but the two on either side of it are blue and the leaves pink. The lines on the ground are repeated exactly the same, and below each of the patterns there are three embroidered dots, two of them yellow and the one in the middle mauve. Similar patterns and colour combinations adorn the other narrow end. The flower patterns are made with filling stitch (dolgu işi), the linear motifs with backstitch (iğne ardı).

Between the patterns two threads have been drawn for a length of 15cm, to mark the intended cutting of the cloth lengthwise, in order to make three similar girdles (uçkur/uşgur). Total width: 37cm; width of each division: 12.5cm, 12.5cm and 12cm, respectively. Length: 2.10m.

Girdle (uçkur/uşgur) to be used for men’s underwear drawers. It is made of silk in its natural colour and embroidered with silk (ipek) thread in filling stitch (dolgu işi). All four sides are finished with a hem made with a sewing machine. The main pattern consists of two similar flowers next to each other, with three petals each and linear motifs between the petals. The yellow stems are divided in two and terminate in double spirals at the lower end. From each stem project two pairs of leaves embroidered with backstitch (iğne ardı) and filling stitch (dolgu işi), the upper pair in off-white colour with dark green outlines, and the lower pair in dark mauve with spirals under them. Between the flowers are two pink star-shaped motifs with a hole in the centre, one above the other. The same patterns are embroidered on both ends of the girdle. Width: 11.5cm. Length: 1.66m.

Girdle made of silk and decorated with embroidered floral patterns. All three patterns are similar with those of Nos 102 and 105, but are mauve instead of blue. They consist of three bouquets in oblique arrangement. There are two types of flowers, namely four-petalled flowers in groups of four, and small blossoms, four on either side of the stem and one on top. Both stems are made of gold wire, and cross each other. Under the crossing the blossoms are repeated two on either side. The leaves are long and curved. Below the patterns runs a horizontal wavy line with small projections, a stylized form of a tendril, the same as in Nos 102 and 105. The filling stitch (dolgu işi) is also the same. Width: 17cm. Length: 2.00m.