How correct is velvet for 1648-1696 Eastern Europe and the Ottoman empire? What should the velvet be made of (I know precious little about fabric) If velvet was used only by the Sultan, what would nobles have substituted?
Background: I'm making a kalkan (Turkish coiled shield, usually made of silk wrapped fig shoots) and most museum descriptions talk about it lined or backed with dark blue velvet.
Velvet in the XVIIc
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Bainard Grey
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Hey! My late period tailoring actually pays off finally for armour! In the aformentioned time period (at least in England) velvet was made from wool. Modern velvet that can be bought in fabric stores is acetate velvet. The bad part is unless you want to track it down and pay about $40 a yard for it wool velvet is a bit impractical for something that is going to be hit with a stick. My reccomended compromise is modern acetate velveteen. It has a nap that is closer to period velvet than the modern stuff.
