The V&A acquired its first velvet cushion cover, or 'yastik' as they are called in Turkish, in 1852 and by 1900 had built up a collection of sixty-two. A few more were added in the 20th century creating a representative collection in both date and quality.
In late 19th and early 20th century literature such covers were sometimes called 'Scutari velvets' which led many people to assume they were woven in Scutari, or modern-day Shkoder, in Albania whereas the reference was really to Scutari, or modern-day Uskudar, in Turkey.