To determine the accuracy of the date, we examine the information the cushion itself provides: the materials used and images selected. The ground cloth is a plain weave silk satin. While the type of material does not assist in dating the cushion cover, the distinctive color does. The pink has faded dramatically but was originally a much more vibrant color that we see evidenced under a few of the spangles which are still loosely attached. The salmon pink was a ubiquitous color used during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries commonly seen in gauntlet cuff and jacket linings, ribbons, trims, and skirts. The tiny metal spangles scattered throughout were used in surface embroidery during a limited time period, from about 1560 to 1670 at the latest.
