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Furnishing fabric

Furnishing fabric

  • Place of origin:

    Spitalfields (possibly, made)

  • Date:

    ca. 1714 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Silk velvet

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Mr F. Mallet

  • Museum number:

    T.107&A-1930

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

These panels of velvet are of the same pattern as the hangings of a bed and matching furniture ordered for Queen Anne in 1714. The bill for the velvet survives, from John Johnson and Company, Mercers : 'For 321 yds.1/8 of white, Crimson and yellow figur'd Velvet for a Standing Bedd Compleate, three pair of large windo Currtains, Vallance and Cornishes, a large Arm Chair and 8 square Stools at 42s p. yard.'

The velvet is traditionally said to have been woven in Spitalfields, London, although there is no documentary evidence to support this. Stylistically this is possible, if compared with designs by the Spitalfields silk designer and master weaver James Leman. Without other supporting evidence high quality multi-coloured furnishing velvets such as this are usually presumed to have been woven in Genoa, Italy.

Physical description

Description by Natalie Rothstein: Design of archway in red and yellow, with large flowers and vases. Pile on pile velvet in two colours with uncut loops surrounding the main outlines of the design, now much worn. Voided satin ground nearly all cut away. The design is incomplete both in length and width. The velvet is applied to a backing of silk and linen (warp and weft) which is now also much worn. No selvedges. Warps : about 6 foundation warp threads to one pile, and pile warp threads alternately red and yellow. Foundation - cream silk single threads s thrown, organzine or poil. Pile - triple threads organzine (2 ends in each) s thrown z plied. Decoupure of 1. Weft - 1, cream spin (possibly) silk, z.

Place of Origin

Spitalfields (possibly, made)

Date

ca. 1714 (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown

Materials and Techniques

Silk velvet

Dimensions

Length: 11.5 in, Width: 25 in

Object history note

Same pattern as the furnishings of a bed made for Queen Anne for her use at Windsor Castle in 1714; cf loan:Royal Elizabeth 978 and W.15-1931. Registered File no. 1930/6358.

Warner & Sons wove a reproduction of this silk in 1912.
Sample in V&A :
T.424:230-1997 : described as 49713, 49682, 49940, 21" Queen Anne Velvet, Warner & Sons, British, 1912 10/2. Registered File no. 1930/6358.

Descriptive line

Red and yellow silk velvet furnishing fabric, possibly made in Spitalfields, ca.1714

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Jolly, Anna. Fürstliche Interieurs : Dekorationstextilien des 18. Jahrhunderts. Riggisberg: Abegg-Stiftung, 2005, cat. no. 7.

Materials

Silk (textile)

Techniques

Velvet weave

Subjects depicted

Vases; Flowers; Archways

Categories

Textiles; Furniture; Interiors

Collection

Textiles and Fashion Collection

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