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Salesman's Sample Book (England)
This is a Salesman's sample book. It is dated 1784 and we acquired it in 1950. Its medium is marbleized paper, cardboard, cotton, linen and its technique is plain weave, twill weaves, float weaves (damask), supplementary weft pile (velveteen); 108 examples are block-printed. It is a part of the Textiles department.
The technique for weaving Manchester velvets, long-wearing cotton textiles used for men's waistcoats and breeches, was a closely guarded manufacturers' secret. In a famous example of industrial espionage, English expatriate John Holker secretly handed over more than one hundred samples of Manchester velvet and other British textiles to the French.
It is credited Museum purchase through gift of Mrs. Samuel W. Bridgham.
Its dimensions are
H x W x D (closed): 24.8 x 16.5 cm (9 3/4 x 6 1/2 in.) H x W x D (open): 24.8 x 259.1 cm (9 3/4 in. x 8 ft. 6 in.) H x W x D (each swatch): 2.5 x 4.1 cm (1 x 1 5/8 in.) 18 pages
It is inscribed
Inside cover: Ex HB or FB N5 (?) & Co 18 Mrch 1784
Cite this object as
Salesman's Sample Book (England); marbleized paper, cardboard, cotton, linen; H x W x D (closed): 24.8 x 16.5 cm (9 3/4 x 6 1/2 in.) H x W x D (open): 24.8 x 259.1 cm (9 3/4 in. x 8 ft. 6 in.) H x W x D (each swatch): 2.5 x 4.1 cm (1 x 1 5/8 in.) 18 pages; Museum purchase through gift of Mrs. Samuel W. Bridgham; 1950-91-1
