Dress Fabric
ca. 1719-1720 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This type of silk was known as a lustring or lutestring in the 18th century. Delicate and lightweight, it was characterised by a lustre on its surface, and was considered particularly suitable for use in summer.
This example can be dated because of its resemblance to a watercolour design for a silk by the Spitalfields master weaver and designer James Leman, dated 1720 (E.4507-1909). He has inscribed it ‘silver lustring for Mr Alexander'. Mr Alexander would have been the mercer (silk dealer) commissioning the design. The type of silk, lustring, was specified at the design stage, so Leman knew that he had to produce a suitably delicate pattern. The fact that its pattern was to be created in silver thread would always have been specified at that stage too, as care had to be taken by the designer to produce a design that allowed maximum visibility of the silver on the front of the silk and minimum on the back, where it would not be seen.
This example can be dated because of its resemblance to a watercolour design for a silk by the Spitalfields master weaver and designer James Leman, dated 1720 (E.4507-1909). He has inscribed it ‘silver lustring for Mr Alexander'. Mr Alexander would have been the mercer (silk dealer) commissioning the design. The type of silk, lustring, was specified at the design stage, so Leman knew that he had to produce a suitably delicate pattern. The fact that its pattern was to be created in silver thread would always have been specified at that stage too, as care had to be taken by the designer to produce a design that allowed maximum visibility of the silver on the front of the silk and minimum on the back, where it would not be seen.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silk brocaded with silver thread |
| Brief description | Dress fabric of brocaded silk, England, ca. 1719-1720 |
| Physical description | Dress fabric with a pink silk lustring ground brocaded with filé and frisé silver thread in an asymmetrical design. Small rosettes and feathers are linked in opposing curves to form a continuous pattern along the sides of the silk, while a similarly defined open cartouche repeats down the central line. Small motifs are scattered between. A large central motif between the cartouches has a small crown shape for a finial. It is a point repeat design. There are just less than two full pattern repeats in its length. It is a loom width and has cut ends at the top and bottom. Possibly from a petticoat, as one end shows creases as if it was turned up for a hem, and the other has traces of waist pleats and a small curved shape cut out of one side. The selvedges on either side are woven with green and white silk. It is slightly faded, with the original deeper pink visible at either end where it had been turned under. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Purchased from Mrs P Seel, Great Rollright Manor, Oxfordshire, for £40. |
| Historical context | The pattern in silver in a plain ground is very close to two designs in WID. E.4470-1909 by James Leman, inscribed "this pattern for a silver lustring", dated June 30th 1719; and E.4507-1909, by Leman, dated 11 July 1720, inscribed "silver lustring for Mr Alexander". |
| Summary | This type of silk was known as a lustring or lutestring in the 18th century. Delicate and lightweight, it was characterised by a lustre on its surface, and was considered particularly suitable for use in summer. This example can be dated because of its resemblance to a watercolour design for a silk by the Spitalfields master weaver and designer James Leman, dated 1720 (E.4507-1909). He has inscribed it ‘silver lustring for Mr Alexander'. Mr Alexander would have been the mercer (silk dealer) commissioning the design. The type of silk, lustring, was specified at the design stage, so Leman knew that he had to produce a suitably delicate pattern. The fact that its pattern was to be created in silver thread would always have been specified at that stage too, as care had to be taken by the designer to produce a design that allowed maximum visibility of the silver on the front of the silk and minimum on the back, where it would not be seen. |
| Bibliographic reference | Woven Textile Design in Britain to 1750, by Natalie Rothstein, 1994, pl.20 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.445-1977 |
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| Record created | May 11, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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