An embroidered pillow end from Korea, dating to the late nineteenth century, is housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It is made of wool embroidered with silk and metal threads. These embroidered ends were sewn onto each end of a soft cylindrical pillow, the embroidery providing stiffness and volume.
This pillow end, with a diameter of 21.5 cm, is embroidered with the Chinese character for happiness. The character is surrounded by five bats, representing long life, riches, health, love of virtue and a natural death.
V&A online catalogue (retrieved 14 July 2016).
WV