Sable might be today’s uncontested king of luxury furs, but historically, ermine was the status quo fur for royalty, and the most sought-after fur for court presentations and official portraiture.

The linings of medieval coronation cloaks and some other garments, usually reserved for use by high-ranking peers and royalty, were made by sewing many ermine furs together to produce a luxurious white fur with patterns of hanging black-tipped tails.

2022年4月30日 · Sable might be today’s uncontested king of luxury furs, but historically, ermine was the status quo fur for royalty, and the most sought-after fur for court presentations and official portraiture.

2024年3月27日 · The tiny, wily creatures are increasingly rare—and for centuries, they’ve represented royal dignity, power, and pomp as ermine, a white, black-flecked fur long prized by monarchs and...

The furs are originally based on the real-life patterns of medieval fur clothing. Ermine is the popular name of a weasel species (mustela erminea). The wintertime pelt of the ermine is white right down to the tip of the tail, which is black. Historical ermine fur clothing would generally be white, with the black tails scattered around the surface.

2020年3月17日 · Ermine was the status quo fur for royalty, and the most sought-after fur for court presentations and official portraiture. European monarchs used ermine and art as a projection of power and wealth from the onset of their reign.

Examples of that include ermin e mantles worn by kings, or the plackets of fancy open-sided surcoats seen on queens and other noble ladies. This mantle or garnache on King Richard II uses prominent ermine fur to signify his royalty. From BL Royal MS 20 B …