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 V
Paisley Patterns - Part V [1]
How did Paisley become involved in the shawl trade, and even more interestingly, became a world leader in shawl manufacture? Perhaps the blame can be laid at the door of revolutionary France and Napoleon Bonaparte. The wars with France had drained British resources, and attempts to beat the French navy's blockade were confined to more essential imports rather than raw silk. As a result many of the highly skilled weavers in Paisley found themselves without work in the early years of the nineteenth century. Manufacturers in the town were desperate to find a new product, which could revive the weaving industry. Around 1805, or so the story goes, an Endinburgh shawl manufacturer by the name of Paterson had taken on too many orders for shawls. His own weavers were unable to match the demand; so, remembering the pool of skilled weavers in Paisley, he sent them some work. The Paisley workers soon realized that good profits could be made from shawl weaving, and before long, several had set themselves up as shawl manufacturers.
Though first introduced some thirty years previously, the British shawls were still fashionable. In fact they were to remain part of the fashion-conscious females wardrobe for the best part of a century. This was due in no small measure to their versatility. Not only could the colors and designs be changed to suit the tastes of the age, but also the actual size and shape of the shawl could be adapted to suit the garment worn beneath.
The costumes of the early nineteenth century were based on classical Greco-Roman lines. Sleeves were tight-fitting, the dresses fell from beneath the bust, and the skirts were straight. The lines of the costumes were extremely severe, and so the softness of the draped shawl, combined with the touch of the exotic pattern, provided the perfect complement. By the 1820s, a change had occurred in dress design. The 'waistline' had dropped to something like its actual anatomical level, skirts had begun to flare out slightly, and the shoulder line was greatly emphasized. The leg-o'-mutton sleeves had arrived. In response to this trend, the shawl changed in shape from a rectangle to a square. Folded across the diagonal, and worn around the shoulders to accentuate their width, with the point of the triangle highlighting the narrow waist, the shawl once again proved to be an ideal accessory.
A gauze print design, ca. 1850s, with beautiful sprays of tiny flowers separating the Paisley motifs.
The gauze print design, ca. 1850s, was stamped 'J. Huntingdon, Dessinateur, Paris.'
A delightful small-scale border design from pattern book of 'Print Designs 1853-1860,' which was donated to the Paisley Museum (Scotland) in 1941 by one of the last of the Paisley textile manufacturers.
This individual motif is taken from a book put together by a unknown manufacturer of 'Gauze Print Designs, French and English' (dated 1850-1860). It is certain that this is not a scrap book, but did belong to one manufacturer, because throughout, in the same hand, are instructions for which machine was used for each design. This pattern was destined for the 'No.1 machine.'
Design for a printed shawl, painted on tissue paper. It may have been intended for roller printing.
Design ca. 1855 for a printed shawl, probably a silk gauze.
A border design in an untypical subdued color scheme. It probably dates to the 1830s.
Design for the border of a gauze print shawl, it was drawn by J. Huntington, perhaps in Paris, but has been overstamped with his London address of Queen's Road Works, Holloway. It is a curved edge block for a 'Glasgow Shawl.'
This small pattern is from the volume entitled, 'Designs for Gauze Prints, French and English, 1850-1860.'
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 V
Paisley Patterns - Part V [1]
How did Paisley become involved in the shawl trade, and even more interestingly, became a world leader in shawl manufacture? Perhaps the blame can be laid at the door of revolutionary France and Napoleon Bonaparte. The wars with France had drained British resources, and attempts to beat the French navy's blockade were confined to more essential imports rather than raw silk. As a result many of the highly skilled weavers in Paisley found themselves without work in the early years of the nineteenth century. Manufacturers in the town were desperate to find a new product, which could revive the weaving industry. Around 1805, or so the story goes, an Endinburgh shawl manufacturer by the name of Paterson had taken on too many orders for shawls. His own weavers were unable to match the demand; so, remembering the pool of skilled weavers in Paisley, he sent them some work. The Paisley workers soon realized that good profits could be made from shawl weaving, and before long, several had set themselves up as shawl manufacturers.
Though first introduced some thirty years previously, the British shawls were still fashionable. In fact they were to remain part of the fashion-conscious females wardrobe for the best part of a century. This was due in no small measure to their versatility. Not only could the colors and designs be changed to suit the tastes of the age, but also the actual size and shape of the shawl could be adapted to suit the garment worn beneath.
The costumes of the early nineteenth century were based on classical Greco-Roman lines. Sleeves were tight-fitting, the dresses fell from beneath the bust, and the skirts were straight. The lines of the costumes were extremely severe, and so the softness of the draped shawl, combined with the touch of the exotic pattern, provided the perfect complement. By the 1820s, a change had occurred in dress design. The 'waistline' had dropped to something like its actual anatomical level, skirts had begun to flare out slightly, and the shoulder line was greatly emphasized. The leg-o'-mutton sleeves had arrived. In response to this trend, the shawl changed in shape from a rectangle to a square. Folded across the diagonal, and worn around the shoulders to accentuate their width, with the point of the triangle highlighting the narrow waist, the shawl once again proved to be an ideal accessory.
Reference:
[1] V. Reilly, Paisley Patterns, Portland House, New York (1989).
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