17th c Inspirations

Thomas Trevilian & the Folger Shakespeare Digital Library

 Instead of a Museum Monday post today of something from my collection, I thought I would share  a wonderful online resource that is a great study source and  the inspiration for my latest slide top spool box. Thomas Trevilian was born around 1548, his book the Trevelyon Miscellany was published in 1608,. and another work in 1616, so he was at least alive until then. The Tevelyon Miscellany is an absolutely beautiful manuscript ~ to quote the World Cat,  " The third part of the manuscript contains edifying and cautionary verses, with illustrations, on the Twelve Degrees of the World, the Five Alls, the Ten Commandments, the Nine Worthies, the Nine Muses, the Seven Deadly Sins, the Seven Virtues, the Seven Liberal Sciences, and the Twelve Apostles; as well as figures important to Protestant history, the six Gunpowder Plot traitors; Pagan, Jewish and Christian heroes; additional parables, proverbs, and lists of virtues and vices accompanied by scriptural and secular verses"

My favorite part of his work is the embroidery patterns. Within you will find hand drawn patterns for caps and borders, as well as all over repeating patterns for cushions and clothing. They are in infinite source of inspiration, and one can literally spend hours upon hours studying them. So where can you see this amazing work? You need not get out of your chair, thanks to the generosity of the Folger Shakespeare Library~  they not only have Thomas' works, but a myriad of other early and rare books you would probably never have the opportunity to see otherwise, all  happily contained in a large searchable database you can find here . (this link will open the Thomas Trevilian search results for you)

The above page is a pattern that spoke to me, and that inspired the slide top spool box that I finished up today and hope to have on eBay tomorrow.  I am really excited to share it~ so many of my favorite things, all wrapped up in one beautiful box! Until then tho, do have fun~ grab a cup of tea and go check out the Library link obove