Quoting Joanne Hackett <[log in to unmask]>:
Dear Joanne,
I am a textile conservator working in Western Australia. I am not familiar with
this particular type of shawl from Egypt. However, from your description of
shawls of that period from Europe that I have seen here, the metal was silver
and sometimes aluminium which simulates silver but obviously does not tarnish
in the same way. If the metal is not tarnished then I would suggest it is a
metal alloy or aluminium. Hope this is of some help.
Regards,
Patricia Moncrieff
Textile Conservator
Western Australia
> Does anyone know of a reliable source of information on the type of
> egyptian shawl called an 'Assiut', 'Assuit', 'Asyut', 'Assyut', or even
> 'Mummy lace' shawl?  The spellings are many.  This type of shawl
> consists of a relatively open cotton net ground with thin strips of
> silver tape passed through the knots and then folded, cut and hammered
> in place.  They were popular in the 1920's and were sometimes made into
> shift dresses or even coats.  I am particularly interested in what the
> metal is.
>
> Joanne Hackett
> Associate Textile Conservator
> Indianapolis Museum of Art
>