Curtain Border thumbnail 1
Curtain Border thumbnail 2
+5
images
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 122

This object consists of 4 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Curtain Border

1853 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

These four textile samples were used for a set of curtains said to be part of a mid-19th century redecoration scheme for Windsor Castle, Berkshire. The green ribbed silk was used for the main body of the curtains. The figured silk ribbon in green and white was used to trim the vertical edges of the curtains and the green silk fringe for other edges. The shinier green silk taffeta was employed for lining the curtains.

A handwritten label originally attached to one of the samples states 'Supplied to Queen Victoria for curtains at Windsor Castle'. The donor of these samples, John Fowler (1906-1977) of the London interior decorating firm of Colefax & Fowler, worked on schemes for royal palaces. He was acquainted with the Master of the Royal Household and collected many historic samples for reference. Though he never worked on a scheme for Windsor there is good supporting evidence that these samples were intended for this royal residence.

The ribbon features strong nationalistic motifs - the rose of England, the thistle of Scotland and the shamrock of Ireland. These combine to create a suitable design for a royal palace. Two silk-weaving firms, Norris & Co. and Daniel Walters & Sons, both of Spitalfields, London, are known to have produced silks for Windsor Castle. It is likely that one of these firms manufactured the patterned furnishings.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 4 parts.

  • Furnishing Border
  • Fringe
  • Furnishing
  • Curtain Lining
Materials and techniques
Jacquard-woven ribbed silk satin, silk ribbon, silk taffeta lining
Brief description
Curtain border, fringe, furnishing fabric and curtain lining of silk, possibly made by Norris & Co. or Daniel Walters & Sons, Spitalfields, London, 1853
Physical description
Curtain border, fringe, furnishing fabric and curtain lining of silk.
DimensionsDimensions checked: Measured; 05/05/2000 by LH The above measurements were used for the mock up (see snap) with T.3 to E-1971
Gallery label
British Galleries: During the 1850s Queen Victoria admired the decoration undertaken for the Emperor Napoleon III in his French palaces. The decorations ordered for Windsor at this time show how the British court tried to compete. A local department store, Caley Brothers of Windsor, was the supplier of the large ribbon and the fabrics with it.(27/03/2003)
Credit line
Given by J. B. Fowler, Esq.
Object history
Patterned silk ribbon probably woven by Norris & Co. or Daniel Walters & Sons, Spitalfields, London
T.269-1965 (RiBBon); T.269B-1965 (PlAin riBBeD silk); T.269C-1965 (Silk tAFFetA lininG FABriC)
Summary
These four textile samples were used for a set of curtains said to be part of a mid-19th century redecoration scheme for Windsor Castle, Berkshire. The green ribbed silk was used for the main body of the curtains. The figured silk ribbon in green and white was used to trim the vertical edges of the curtains and the green silk fringe for other edges. The shinier green silk taffeta was employed for lining the curtains.

A handwritten label originally attached to one of the samples states 'Supplied to Queen Victoria for curtains at Windsor Castle'. The donor of these samples, John Fowler (1906-1977) of the London interior decorating firm of Colefax & Fowler, worked on schemes for royal palaces. He was acquainted with the Master of the Royal Household and collected many historic samples for reference. Though he never worked on a scheme for Windsor there is good supporting evidence that these samples were intended for this royal residence.

The ribbon features strong nationalistic motifs - the rose of England, the thistle of Scotland and the shamrock of Ireland. These combine to create a suitable design for a royal palace. Two silk-weaving firms, Norris & Co. and Daniel Walters & Sons, both of Spitalfields, London, are known to have produced silks for Windsor Castle. It is likely that one of these firms manufactured the patterned furnishings.
Bibliographic reference
Cornforth, John. The Inspiration of the Past: country house taste in the twentieth century. Harmondsworth: Viking in association with Country Life, 1985. 235p., [56] p. of plates: ill. ISBN0670801801.
Collection
Accession number
T.269 to C-1965

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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