Woman's coif. English; first quarter 17th century. Linen embroidered with silver-gilt and silver thread and silks: ladder, chain, cable chain, heavy chain, long and short and detached buttonhole stitches with laid and couched work, seed pearls and spangles. Trimmed with silver-gilt bobbin lace. Bequeathed by Mr. Frank Ward. [] Treasures of the Royal Courts: Tudors, Stuarts and the Russian Tsars label text: Nightcap and coif About 1610; 1600 Men wore nightcaps when relaxing at home, in contrast to more formal headwear worn for public business during the day. The informal head covering for women was the coif. For the wealthy, these could be highly decorated with expensive metal thread and are of great beauty. England Nightcap: linen, embroidered in silver and gilded silver thread, with metal bobbin lace Coif: linen, embroidered in silver and gilded silver thread, spangles and pearls, with metal bobbin lace Coif bequeathed by Frank Ward V&A T.75-1954, 239-1960 []