Sample of Worsted Yarn, used by Cheney Brothers, 1913. Manufactured and supplied by the Lafayette Worsted Company. Unbleached, gassed, 30/3 quality. Used by Cheney Brothers in weaving wool and silk fabrics. Lafayette Worsted Co. was a Franco-Belgian owned firm that operated a worsted spinning mill in Woonsocket, RI, beginning in 1899, and on through the 1950s. This type of worsted yarn was especially sought after for weaving fine fabrics, including Cheney Brothers' silk and wool dress fabrics, samples of which were donated by Cheney Brothers to the Nationa Museum (now NMAH)
A length of lightweight satin-weave silk, printed with a modernist design of of flower heads and leaves on a tan ground. Ground cloth is satin weave silk, light but having more body than charmeuse. The floral design has a 'stencil' effect, with each element separate from the others and outlined in solid black. Company titled the design "Bulgarian". Colors are saturated, Fauve inspired: bright green, magenta, yellow, and medium brown with black. T1033,1034,and 1035 are colorways of the same design. Part of a large donation of fibers, yarns, fabrics, original designs, and printing tools given by Cheney Brothers, one of the earliest and largest of America's silk manufacturers, in 1913.
Man's silk crepe faille scarf or necktie. Fabric is printed with an allover repeating pattern of stylized plant forms in greens, browns and bits of pink. 1913 The original cataloging distinguishes men's neckties, scarves, and cravats: this is categorized as a scarf, according to the usage of the time of donation. Unlined. Cut on the bias, shaped with pointed ends, one end wider than the other, and sewn. .
A sample length of Cheney Brothers very lightweight rayon pile chiffon velvet in a medium dusty blue. 1925. A solid cut pile fabric; the rayon pile has been pressed flat as in a panne velvet, giving a very shiny surface. The ground is more densely woven than a true chiffon, but the fabric has a very soft hand. Piece dyed silk back, rayon pile fabric #104 1/2, with ground warp and filling of organzine silk. Used for dresses, cloaks, wraps, etc. Color: Bluett #6531. Wholesale $5.00 per yard.
Length of Cheney Brothers double-facedsilk ribbon; red solid cut velvet face with red satin reverse. 5 1/4" wide. Cheney Brothers was one of the earliest and perhaps the longest-lived of all American silk textile manufacturing companies. Its mill complex was a vertical operation which employed much of the population of South Manchester, Connecticut, for decades.
Cheney Brothers printed satin dress silk, "Bulgarian", 1913. A length of lightweight satin-weave silk, printed with a stylized modernist design of of flower heads and leaves in Fauve-inspired colors on a French blue ground. Ground cloth is satin weave silk, light but having more body than charmeuse. The floral design has a 'stencil' effect, with each element separate from the others and outlined in solid black. Colors are bright green, magenta, yellow, and medium brown with black on light blue. Mfrs numbers are : Com-5001; No. 71748; Color 3703/3. T1033,1034,and 1035 are colorways of the same design. Part of a large donation of fibers, yarns, fabrics, original designs, and printing tools given by Cheney Brothers, one of the earliest and largest of America's silk manufacturers, in 1913.
Length of Cheney Brothers "Tussah Pongee" dress silk. Medium weight plain weave with slubbed effect from irregular weft yarns. The quality was usually yarn dyed: this example, with a color name of 'Champagne', is actually the natural beige of the undyed tussah (usually meaning from wild silkworms) silk. Cheney Silks retail label glued to length, identifies fabric as "Tussah pongee". (W. 54 in., L. 1-1/2 yd.)
Four cones of Cheney Brothers Silk Yarns, 1913. Colored. 4 cones, L. 5-3/4 in. Part of gift illustrating all the steps in making silk textiles at the Cheney Brothers mill in South Manchester, CT. Sales offices: 4th Ave. and 18th St., New York City
Educational poster for Cheney Silks, Cheney Brothers Manufacturers, South Manchester, CT. Japanese Silk Production, shows the steps of the process in manufacture. 6 vignettes in small b/w photographs.
Length of Cheney Brothers "Satin Panne" dress silk, 1913. High sheen satin weave; soft hand, medium weight. Piece dyed. Pale Blue. Cheney Silks label glued to sample identifies it as "satin panne". 4 in. square cut from corner of the length.(W. 45 in., L. 1-1/2 yd.) The word 'panne' is usually applied to a velvet with the pile flattened in one direction to create a high luster surface. THis satin weave may also have been run through a roller to heighten its luster.
Man's silk muffler; Gift of Cheney Brothers; Sept. 22, 1921. Fancy barathea (textured weave) woven in tubular form in a black and white warp stripe pattern, with 3 weft stripes at each end to form a border design. The two border ends are finished with fringe. Original number 3094.
Man's de Joinville style necktie; Gift of Cheney Brothers, Sept. 22 1921. Cotton and Silk; Woven in ribbon form (single layer, straight ends, straight sides), with stripe pattern in blue and black; an extra warp produces allover white pin dots. Original number 2875.
NB: 1920s terminology for men's neckwear was different than late 20th-21st century terminology. Scarf was correct for the period.
From Esquire's Menswear Encyclopedia: "Tthe de Joinville style tie or scarf was strictly a straight-end model." The 1900 Sears, Roebuck and Company catalog described the Joinville as “the most popular and swellest gentleman’s scarf ever produced. These scarfs were 6 inches wide and 34 inches long, and are made from purest woven silk specially imported by us. We have an immense assortment, comprising more than three hundred different designs: all light and medium colorings in nearly every color and shade ever thought of. They consist mostly of combination colors, just a few of which are blue, lavender, light green, cherry, strawberry, olive, myrtle, moss green, turquoise, opal, red, etc., all combined with light contrasting shades of cream, white, bright sun-shiny yellow, pale blue and a host of other beautiful shades; handsome brocade patterns in Persian effects, Oriental effects, Dresden fancies, Chameleon grotesques, Roman novelties, Scotch and Highland checks, and an almost endless variety of artistic and fashionable designs. The De Joinville scarf is popular with fashionable gentlemen, because of its exclusiveness and because it can be tied into several different shapes”. Among the shapes were the Prince of Wales knot and the puff, with a finger ring sometimes slipped just below the knot for added elegance."
Cheney Brothers fabric length of heavy weight silk-faced, cotton-backed satin. Piece dyed. Greenish Yellow. Significant fading or discoloration to beige/gold. 4 in. square cut from corner of length. (W. 54 in., L. 1-1/2 yd.)
Length of Cheney Brothers silk and wool Bengaline. A ribbed, warp-faced plain weave with a soft 'hand'. Silk warp and thicker wool weft forming the crosswise ribs. Piece dyed Navy Blue, with a low luster. Primary use for women's apparel.. Cheney Silk retail label attached with glue or adhesive. (W. 45 in., L. 1-1/2 yd.) 1913.
