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Textile book
Jun. 3rd, 2012 03:07 pmI got this book in the mail the other day and I cannot keep my hands off it.
I bought it on a sort-of whim. I've been wanting a resource to help date textile prints, or rather to compare modern equivalents to historic periods. It is so freakin' amazing. Every piece is beautiful and I keep wandering into the sewing room to flip through a little more.
They way it's organized is not the way I might have chosen, but it makes sense, given the amount of material. There are broad categories such as Floral or Geometric, then each page (or sometimes a 2-3 page layout) has an array of swatches representing a different subcategory, like Floral: sprigs, or Floral: cinnamon pinks.
Then each swatch is dated, and method of printing, fiber, country of origin, and intended use (apparel vs. home furnishing) are given. There are a few 18th c examples, but the bulk of the book deals with 19th and early 20th c.
One thing that is surprising is the bold, wacky brightness of so many early prints. The Turkey red prints with big yellow patterns from the 1810s and 1820s, for example. I start to wonder how exactly they were used. The amount of printed wool challis is a new idea to me, too. I knew they existed, but I suppose they were more common than I realized. In fashion plates, printed fabrics are not often shown, but obviously they were made and sold in huge quantities. I am so eager to do more research on the specific uses of printed textiles.
I bought it on a sort-of whim. I've been wanting a resource to help date textile prints, or rather to compare modern equivalents to historic periods. It is so freakin' amazing. Every piece is beautiful and I keep wandering into the sewing room to flip through a little more.
They way it's organized is not the way I might have chosen, but it makes sense, given the amount of material. There are broad categories such as Floral or Geometric, then each page (or sometimes a 2-3 page layout) has an array of swatches representing a different subcategory, like Floral: sprigs, or Floral: cinnamon pinks.
Then each swatch is dated, and method of printing, fiber, country of origin, and intended use (apparel vs. home furnishing) are given. There are a few 18th c examples, but the bulk of the book deals with 19th and early 20th c.
One thing that is surprising is the bold, wacky brightness of so many early prints. The Turkey red prints with big yellow patterns from the 1810s and 1820s, for example. I start to wonder how exactly they were used. The amount of printed wool challis is a new idea to me, too. I knew they existed, but I suppose they were more common than I realized. In fashion plates, printed fabrics are not often shown, but obviously they were made and sold in huge quantities. I am so eager to do more research on the specific uses of printed textiles.
