Shawl thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Shawl

ca. 1855 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Shawl of printed silk gauze. Semi-circular and seamless with one selvedge forming the straight side of the semi-circle, and the narrow turned hem on the curved sides running into the selvedge on the opposite side.

Each half of the semi-circle is printed with a patterned field enclosed in a wide border, this allows for the shawl to be worn folded double to form a quarter circle, the central point of which is weighted over to one side or the other by a tassel, thus giving a straight edge to be placed across the shoulders.

The printed patterns differ slightly on the two halves of the shawl. One side has a field of tiny brightly-coloured flower sprigs closely-set in straight rows on the white silk ground, set off by an outer band of the same flower sprigs on a ground printed bright green. The border is composed of repeated scrolling shapes and cartouches, some with flower fillings and other forms of decoration, some containing a single elaborate motif on a vermilion ground in the smaller cartouches, and on a maroon ground in the larger ones.

The other side has a similar border and decorative band with the difference that the maroon cartouches alternate with green in the border, and the flower sprigs in the inner border or band are on a maroon ground. The central field on this side is filled with tiny crescents and pendants of flowers, connected by curving dotted lines.

The shawl has a silk fringe knotted into it on the curved side, and a heavy silk tassel hanging from the centre of the straight top.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Printed silk gauze
Brief description
Shawl of silk gauze, probably made in Paisley, Scotland, ca. 1855
Physical description
Shawl of printed silk gauze. Semi-circular and seamless with one selvedge forming the straight side of the semi-circle, and the narrow turned hem on the curved sides running into the selvedge on the opposite side.

Each half of the semi-circle is printed with a patterned field enclosed in a wide border, this allows for the shawl to be worn folded double to form a quarter circle, the central point of which is weighted over to one side or the other by a tassel, thus giving a straight edge to be placed across the shoulders.

The printed patterns differ slightly on the two halves of the shawl. One side has a field of tiny brightly-coloured flower sprigs closely-set in straight rows on the white silk ground, set off by an outer band of the same flower sprigs on a ground printed bright green. The border is composed of repeated scrolling shapes and cartouches, some with flower fillings and other forms of decoration, some containing a single elaborate motif on a vermilion ground in the smaller cartouches, and on a maroon ground in the larger ones.

The other side has a similar border and decorative band with the difference that the maroon cartouches alternate with green in the border, and the flower sprigs in the inner border or band are on a maroon ground. The central field on this side is filled with tiny crescents and pendants of flowers, connected by curving dotted lines.

The shawl has a silk fringe knotted into it on the curved side, and a heavy silk tassel hanging from the centre of the straight top.
Dimensions
  • Selvedge at top diameter: 130in
  • Between selvedges depth: 68in
  • Width: 2040mm (Note: including fringe)
  • Length: 3460mm (Note: including fringe)
Credit line
Given by Mr W. G. Briggs and Miss M. E. Briggs
Collection
Accession number
T.6-1966

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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