Martha Edlin's Casket

Casket embroidered by Martha Edlin in c. 1671, England. Casket embroidered by Martha Edlin in c. 1671, England. Copyright Victoria and Albert Museum, London, acc. no. T.432-1990.

Martha Edlin was an English embroideress who lived between 1660 and 1725 and from an early age was a proficient embroideress. At the age of eleven she embroidered a casket or jewellery case, which remained in her family for some three hundred years. It is now housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum, together with a series of other embroideries by her hand.

The casket itself is made of wood, covered with satin and decorated in raised work with silk embroidery, pearls and metal thread. Stitches used are the back stitch, rococo stitch, satin stitch and tent stitch. For many years the casket contained a number of objects, including a small silver medallion stamped with the image of King Charles II; a manicure set; a silver bodkin; a small silver box with the images of Charles II and his wife, Catherine of Braganza; another small locket, and a tiny box filled with minute objects.

See also embroidered casket (English, c. 1650, now in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam).

V&A online catalogue (retrieved 22 June 2016).

Video of Martha Edlin's casket (retrieved 22 June 2016).

Last modified on Saturday, 15 October 2016 20:21
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