Preamble
For your convenience, I have listed below other posts in this series:
Paisley Patterns - Part I
Paisley Patterns - Part II
Paisley Patterns - Part III
Paisley Patterns - Part IV
Paisley Patterns - Part IV [1]
The first Europeans to take an interest in shawls were the men of the British East India Company. During the middle years of the eighteenth century they began to include a few shawls amongst the gifts they brought back to Britian for their women folk to enjoy and wear. These first shawls were greatly admired on the British fashion scene, and before long, the company found that they were vey much in demand. What had started out as a casual gift soon bcame an important commercial import. One problem still remained, however: shawls were scarce, and by the time they reached Britain they would cost the fashionable lady, who wished to acquire one between £200 and £300. Obviously, only the social élite could afford to own a Kashmire shawl.
Because of the demand for shawls, British manufacturers began to investigate ways of imitating the imports from Kashmir. The first center to produce imitation shawls, however, was not Paisley. Edinburgh trade records show that shawls "in imitation of the Indian," as they were termed, were being woven from 1777. Another weaving center to join the trade was Norwich, which began making shawls in 1784. Paisley, however, was at this time famed for the quality of the silk it produced and had no need to take up a new and as yet untried product.
This seemingly most Scottish of designs, with its tartan background, is actually stamped, 'J. Huntington, Dessinsteur, Paris.'
An 1820s' border in 'Harlequin' style.
A 'Harlequin' border in which the Paisley motifs are alternated with an unusual kind of sunburst design.
This Paisley motif, with its leafy appendage, is so reminiscent of the Great Exhibition style. It actually comes from a folder of sketches for print shawls dated 1851, the year in which the exhibition took place.
An example of 'Harlequin' style border.
Small Paisley motifs on blocks of different color backgrounds go to make up this 'Harlequin' style border design.
In this pattern, the designer J. Huntington of Paris, has experimented with an alternative background for large Paisley motifs.
Design for a silk gauze printed shawl (ca. 1860).
The gauze print shawl design is executed on tissue, and has unusual realistic flowers forming part of the central sprig design.
Reference:
[1] V. Reilly, Paisley Patterns, Portland House, New York (1989).
For your convenience, I have listed below other posts in this series:
Paisley Patterns - Part I
Paisley Patterns - Part II
Paisley Patterns - Part III
Paisley Patterns - Part IV
Paisley Patterns - Part IV [1]
The first Europeans to take an interest in shawls were the men of the British East India Company. During the middle years of the eighteenth century they began to include a few shawls amongst the gifts they brought back to Britian for their women folk to enjoy and wear. These first shawls were greatly admired on the British fashion scene, and before long, the company found that they were vey much in demand. What had started out as a casual gift soon bcame an important commercial import. One problem still remained, however: shawls were scarce, and by the time they reached Britain they would cost the fashionable lady, who wished to acquire one between £200 and £300. Obviously, only the social élite could afford to own a Kashmire shawl.
Because of the demand for shawls, British manufacturers began to investigate ways of imitating the imports from Kashmir. The first center to produce imitation shawls, however, was not Paisley. Edinburgh trade records show that shawls "in imitation of the Indian," as they were termed, were being woven from 1777. Another weaving center to join the trade was Norwich, which began making shawls in 1784. Paisley, however, was at this time famed for the quality of the silk it produced and had no need to take up a new and as yet untried product.
Reference:
[1] V. Reilly, Paisley Patterns, Portland House, New York (1989).
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