Bolt end of bleached, lightweight white cotton shirting, Not a full selvage width; one selvage only (24" W) by about 7" L. Blue stamp brand or trademark: At top, the words "Finest Quality", below a line and patterned border; below a circular foliate frame enclosing a seal with the name Allidina Visram, the words East Africa & Uganda, and an elaborate crown made up of a lion's head, elephant head, and oval cartouches containing animals and the names of British Dominions. The crown has the words "United The Crown India New Zealand, Australia, Canada, S. Africa"; and underneath, in the headband of the crown, "Empires Unity". Under the foliate frame are the words "42 Yards" which is the length of the fabric piece on the bolt. Also attached is a paper label "American Consulate at Mombasa, B.E.A. Trade Opportunity No. 150 of July 28, 1917. Sample No. 5 - White Cotton Shirting. Stamped # 83881, probably the trade report #. One of a collection of many samples collected by US Consuls around the world between about 1898 and 1918 transferred to the US National Museum in the 1930s. This sample is from a prominent Red Sea region trader, Allidina Visram, but also references the unity of the British Empire during the Great War. The cotton shirting may have been made in India, from which Visram had come to the Red Sea region as a a child.
Consular Collection.