A length of a Cheney Brothers "Tapestry" furnishing fabric, 1913. Intended for use in upholstery. Not truly tapestry woven - it is a continuous weft patterned compound satin weave, jacquard-loom-woven fabric. Design reminiscent of 1740s-40s "island layoit" but with a vaguely modern set of motifs, such as palm strees and sailboats, as well as exotic blossoms, in light and dark blue on a golden yellow ground. Cheney Brothers logo woven into selvedge. (W. 50 in., L. 2 1/2 yds.) Mfrs. #s: Com.4765; No. 79486; Color 3408/1. The design for this, painted on point paper, is T-1049.
Skein of dyed artificial silk (regenerated cellulose fiber, known after 1923 as rayon), in black. One of 66 examples of silk yarns of various types, dyed in the skein.. Original sample # 56. This is a very early example of the availability of artificial silk fiber on a commercial basis. At this time the fiber's extreme shine and smoothness made it useful only as an accent to natural fiber fabrics - it was not used on its own. From a group of 145 samples of silk fabrics and yarns of various types, weaves, uses, and origins donated in 1913 by the National Silk Dyeing Co., of Paterson, New Jersey (America's "Silk City"), which was one of the largest and most comprehensive silk dyeing and printing firms in the U.S.,
Length of Cheney Brothers printed Florentine Silk. Very lightwieght plain weave. Printed with overall naturalistic pattern of locust flowers in pinks, red-orange, and purple with green leaves on a white ground. (W. 32 in., L. 36 in.) A Cheney sample card for printed FLorentine, with a different design on a small swatch, gives the following additional information: "Used for Kimonas (sic) and Bed Quilts and for light decorative purposes. Woven with Italian gum silk warp and spun silk singles filling."
Skein of dyed artificial silk (regenerated cellulose fiber, known after 1923 as rayon), in brown. One of 66 examples of silk yarns of various types, dyed in the skein.. Original sample # 55. This is a very early example of the availability of artificial silk fiber on a commercial basis. At this time the fiber's extreme shine and smoothness made it useful only as an accent to natural fiber fabrics - it was not used on its own. From a group of 145 samples of silk fabrics and yarns of various types, weaves, uses, and origins donated in 1913 by the National Silk Dyeing Co., of Paterson, New Jersey (America's "Silk City"), which was one of the largest and most comprehensive silk dyeing and printing firms in the U.S.,
Cheney Brothers, sample of a printed silk velvet square cushion or pillow top. Silk pile, cotton backing. Printed pressed velvet. Red ground. Construction; Yarns: main ground warp, black, Z twist, single ply. Main ground weft, black. Pile red. Pattern; printed, Indienne or Kashmir shawl-style design with large central medallion, with floral and paisley elements, covering the field, leaving 1 in to 1 ½ in border of red pile. (W. 23 in., L. 23 in.
Length of "Pussy Willow" (Mallinson trade name) a fine, soft, radium-like, plain weave fabric (mfr #1900). Printed with a horizontal stripe effect landscape pattern (mfr #2766), part of the Early American series--"Covered Wagon--Oregon Trail" depicting "interesting incidents of the pioneer days" such as Indian attack, buffalo hunt, water travel by flat boat, land travel by prairie schooner--done in 7 colors on a gray ground. Selvage width, selvage inscription. Judging from drawings by free-lance textile designer Walter Mitschke in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts - Boston, Mitschke designed this print and several others in the Early American series.
Mallinson's 1929 "Early American" series of printed dress silks was based on historical events and figures that were perceived at the time to consitute a shared American story. It was the last of the company's line of designs based on American themes in which each design was printed in at least seven colors, in several colorways, on three or four different ground cloths. The stock market crash and economic depression that followed made the investment in this kind of design unprofitable.
A length of J.A. Migel, Inc .silk and artificial silk dress goods "Fan-Ta-Si". Novelty crepe woven with a metallic like surface effect created by narrow warpwise irregular stripes of yellow threads. Woven with a silk warp and double filling: one of tightly twisted silk, the other of artificial silk singles. The length has significant discoloration throughout the wrong side that features light yellow or pink striped splotches instead of the dark salmon color. Julius A. Migel was a younger brother of Moses Charles Migel, founder of M.C. Migel & Co., Inc, silk manufacturer, renamed H.R. Mallinson & Co., Inc. in 1915. Mallinson, married to Linda Migel, had taken over as the president of M.C. Migel & Co. after his brother-in-law had retired. J.A. Migel was very briefly a partner with H.R. Mallinson, but left the firm in 1915 to form his own, eponymous, silk manufacturing concern. J.A. Migel used many of the marketing tools that his brother and H.R. Mallinson had succeeded with, but his company lasted only a few years.
William Skinner and Sons silk satin face cotton back dark blue fabric length; 1914. One edge is pinked and the other is cut with frayed edges. Satin face is very shiny in comparison to the dull cotton backing. "Skinner's Satin" is woven in the red selvedge edge.
William Skinner emigrated from England to Massachusetts in 1843, finding work as silk dyer. He eventually opened his own silk manufacturing company, the Unquomonk Silk Co., making silk threads and yarns for weaving and sewing. In 1874, the mill was destroyed when the Mill River Dam gave way. Skinner moved his company a few miles away, to Holyoke, Massachusetts, and rebuilt the mill, expanding production to include woven fabrics (Skinner satins were nationally famous) and silk braids. He ran the company until his death in 1902, and the firm stayed in the family, and remained in operation in Holyoke, until 1961, when his heirs sold it to Indian head Mills, which immediately closed the Holyoke operation.
"Ribbon Loom Weaving Neckties - Cheney Brothers Factory"; Photograph, 1915. Keystone Views. Woman weaver tending narrow fabric loom (approx. 30 ties across the width) in operation. One of 46 photographic reproductions of views illustrating sericulture in Japan and silk manufacture in the Cheney Brothers factory in South Manchester, Connecticut. Donated by Cheney Brothers in 1915 for use in the National Museum's Textile Hall. With caption, 12" x 10".
Skein of Royal blue silk hosiery tram. A type of thrown silk used for making (machine knitting) silk hosiery (stockings) . Mfrs' tag reads: "Tram: Used in manufacturing silk hosiery." One of 66 examples of silk yarns of various types, dyed in the skein.. Original sample # 38. From a group of 145 samples of silk fabrics and yarns of various types, weaves, uses, and origins donated in 1913 by the National Silk Dyeing Co., of Paterson, New Jersey (America's "Silk City"), which was one of the largest and most comprehensive silk dyeing and printing firms in the U.S.,
Length of silk suiting: tradename "Barre Ratta". An all silk fabric having a coarse knotty appearance produced by a plain yarn warp and a novelty yarn filling. Originated by John G. Bentley, for men's wear.. Victory Silk Co., Paterson, NJ, 1915.
The weft yarns are plied with short and long strands of silk fiber of uneven diameter, creating the highly textured surface effect. The tradename Barre Ratta is probably a take-off on the traditional fabrication, barathea, originally a wool and silk textile with a broken twill weave giving a pebbled texture.
Skein of dyed artificial silk (regenerated cellulose fiber, known after 1923 as rayon), in "Emerald" green. One of 66 examples of silk yarns of various types, dyed in the skein.. Original sample # 53. This is a very early example of the availability of artificial silk fiber on a commercial basis. At this time the fiber's extreme shine and smoothness made it useful only as an accent to natural fiber fabrics - it was not used on its own. From a group of 145 samples of silk fabrics and yarns of various types, weaves, uses, and origins donated in 1913 by the National Silk Dyeing Co., of Paterson, New Jersey (America's "Silk City"), which was one of the largest and most comprehensive silk dyeing and printing firms in the U.S.,
A length of J.A. Migel, Inc. printed silk dress goods "Hindu". A lightweight, rough surface plain weave fabric, the rough material being introduced in the filling. Printed overall with an oriental design. Julius A. Migel was a younger brother of Moses Charles Migel, founder of M.C. Migel & Co., Inc, silk manufacturer, renamed H.R. Mallinson & Co., Inc. in 1915. Mallinson, married to Linda Migel, had taken over as the president of M.C. Migel & Co. after his brother-in-law had retired. J.A. Migel was very briefly a partner with H.R. Mallinson, but left the firm in 1915 to form his own, eponymous, silk manufacturing concern. J.A. Migel used many of the marketing tools that his brother and H.R. Mallinson had succeeded with, but his company lasted only a few years.
In late 1926 American silk manufacturer H.R. Mallinson & Co. introduced a bold new line of printed silks, twelve landscape designs, each available in from eight to twelve colorways (color combinations) on three different ground fabrics. The designs celebrated America's National Parks - then only a decade old. The designs represented all the usual styles necesssary for making clothing: allover prints, horizontal stripes, checks, a border design. This striking design depicts the Wall of Windows at Bryce Canyon (Utah) National Park, printed on Mallinson's.Indestructible chiffon voile, a sheer, plain weave silk. Selvage width; selvage inscription. Judging from drawings by free-lance textile designer Walter Mitschke in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts - Boston, Mitschke designed this print and a few others in the National Parks series..
Skein of dyed silk schappe yarn for weaving, in black. Mfrs' tag reads "Schappe. Used in manufacturing velvets." The term "Schappe" refers to a method of processing waste silk fibers (leftovers from other processes). Schappe was used in the pile yarn for manufacturing of velvets, as it was both less expensive and easily finished as a soft surface. One of 66 examples of silk yarns of various types, dyed in the skein.. Original sample # 66. From a group of 145 samples of silk fabrics and yarns of various types, weaves, uses, and origins donated in 1913 by the National Silk Dyeing Co., of Paterson, New Jersey (America's "Silk City"), which was one of the largest and most comprehensive silk dyeing and printing firms in the U.S.
A length of washable closely woven crepe weave fabric "Moon Glo Crepe" in a coral color by J.A. Migel, Inc. Used in tailored costumes, evening and afternoon dresses, men's neckties and underwear. Julius A. Migel was a younger brother of Moses Charles Migel, founder of M.C. Migel & Co., Inc, silk manufacturer, renamed H.R. Mallinson & Co., Inc. in 1915. Mallinson, married to Linda Migel, had taken over as the president of M.C. Migel & Co. after his brother-in-law had retired. J.A. Migel was very briefly a partner with H.R. Mallinson, but left the firm in 1915 to form his own, eponymous, silk manufacturing concern. J.A. Migel used many of the marketing tools that his brother and H.R. Mallinson had succeeded with, but his company lasted only a few years.
T H McCool & Co silk satin printed dress silk fabric length; 1914. Airograph printed satin. Plain white satin weave ground, with a centrally placed band with a pale blue ground: a rococo style floral swag and ribbon design of pink roses, white daisies with yellow centers, and pink ribbon bows. Airograph work by the Decorus Manufacturing Company. Fabric is very brittle (probably over-weighted silk) and has some horizontal tears (shattering).
T. H. McCool and Company is the successor firm, as of 1914, to Alfred K. Wright and Company; both companies in the business of converting silks (i.e. buying gray goods and having them printed or finished) factored by Passavant & Co. McCool had been connected with the Wright company for many years prior to taking it over. This donation encompassed examples of "airograph work" on various silks, said to be akin to products coming from Lyons, France. The airograph, or spray-print, or airbrushing, process was done by Decorous Manufacturing & Co of New York City. Acording to the Annual report on this donation, the machine used to create these designs was the first machine of its kind to be imported to the United States, and it was a gift.
Skein of "Cardinal" red silk tram. A type of thrown silk usually used for weft yarns. One of 66 examples of silk yarns of various types, dyed in the skein.. Original sample # 20. From a group of 145 samples of silk fabrics and yarns of various types, weaves, uses, and origins donated in 1913 by the National Silk Dyeing Co., of Paterson, New Jersey (America's "Silk City"), which was one of the largest and most comprehensive silk dyeing and printing firms in the U.S.,
Skein of Cheney Brothers silk organzine, 1913. Black. 1 skein. 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
Figures of infantry and cavalry soldiers assemble at the call of a bugle for “Guard Mount,” the inspection and changing of the guard, in this design from H.R. Mallinson & Co,’s first La Victoire series, produced just before the Armistice that ended the fighting in World War I was signed. The design is machine-printed in five colors on a taupe ground of “Pussy Willow” silk, one of Mallinson's most enduring fabrications. The firm’s marketing brochure stated, "To feature the French soldier at Guard Mount in a design so admirably adapted to feminine wear is indeed a masterpiece in the art of design."