Object:  This small pillow is the oldest object in the collection of the Hammond-Harwood House.  Although in poor condition, the pillow still illustrates the beauty of early textile handiwork.  The front of the pillow shows an intertwined mix of butterflies and stylized flowers.  Its edge are ticked in gold rope although this is most likely a modern addition.  Flashes of color can still be seen on the pillows surface including a crimson red and a teal blue.  The most pronounced color is gold as tiny threads of gold are sewn into the pattern.  The reverse of the pillow is covered with a light blue silk and is underlined with linen.  The interior of the object is stuffed with bright red hair.  Research is still pending on the pillow's place of origin. 

Provenance:  This object was donated by Judge Irwin Untermyer who purchased the pillow from Percival Griffiths of London.  Griffiths was born in England in 1899 and was educated at Cambridge.  He was member of the Indian Legislative Assembly, the Indian Central Legislature, and President of the India, Pakistan, and Burma Association.  He was the author of numerous books including, History of the Indian Tea Industry, 1967, and The British Impact on India, 1952.  Some of Griffiths's views on British imperialism in India were so controversial that his personal papers were considered top secret until recently.  During his travels around the globe, Griffiths became an avid collector of art and antiques. Today, his collections reside at the Metropolitan Museum of Art among other notable museums.