Silk lampas with rampant lions and birds: gros de Tours with supplementary wefts of silver-gilt strip. Large central stylized flowering vase motif surmounted by a double-headed eagle under a crown, and a bifurcated sinuous flowering stem at base, and  paired confronted and addorsed rampant lions to either side; along the edges, stylized birds perched on mounds facing the adorsed lions. Lined in berry red silk taffeta and edged in gold galloon with gold fringe at lower end.

A dalmatic made of an identical green silk is in the Chiesa di S. Benedetto, Militello Val di Catania, Sicily; see Ciolino, La Seta e la Sicilia (2002), cat. 69. Nearly identical silks are in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago (1973.308); LACMA (M.55.12.49); Metropolitan Museum of Art (1971.240), 1972.66.1a-c, 1972.66.6); Art Institute of Chicago (1973.308; the Denver Art Museum (1972.131ab); and Musée du Cinquantenaire in Brussels (see Erera, Catalogue d’Etoffes Anciennes et Modernes, 3rd ed., [1927], no. 305A, p. 268.). Most of these come from a group sold in 1920 the Tolentino sale at the American Art Galleries, New York (sold as Florentine, 16th century).

Very good condition; the lining with an old inked inscription (crossed out): M B / 1113; the lining slightly soiled and pieced.