A length of piece dyed silk "Kameo Krepe" (Mallinson trade name) in gray. Closely woven crepe fabric similar in construction to crepe de chine. The H.R. Mallinson company was well known for introducing new textures and weave effects in its product line. These were the 'novelties' as opposed to fabrics such as Pussy Willow and Indestructible Voile, which were the company's staple products and remained in the line for years, even decades. This solid-color fabric coordinates with print colors used in the Mallinson National Park series of printed dress silks.
A sample cut with colorways of Mallinson's printed Pussy Willow silk, a fine soft, plain weave fabric, one of the company's most enduring tradenames. One of the 1929 "American State Flowers" series: wild rose, Iowa; violet, Wisconsin; moccasin flower, Minnesota; violet, Illinois; 9 samples, one for each colorway. Ground colors are: blue (18" x 40", # 4), black (#5, #25), green (#7), dark blue (#10, #20), tan (#12), gray (#9), white (#15), The smaller attached colorway swatches are 8" x 6". The selvage inscription gives the company name, state names and flower associations.
A length of knitted artifical silk dress goods. H.R. Mallinson trade name "Deluxknit," a lightweight jersey knit in tubular form as it comes from the machine. Open stripe pattern in a checked effect produced by the use of very narrow horizonal stripes in yellow which cross the vertical open stripes at regular intervals: Colors brown, blue mixture. For a few years in the 1920s the H.R. Mallinson silk manufacturing company sold a small line of knitted fabrics trademarked as "DeluxKnit". NMAH holds a few samples of these fabrics. These knit goods were meant for "cut and sewn" garments, meaning they were not knitted to shape, but used just as flat woven cloth would be to cut out and make up dresses, blouses, or other fashionable garments. Mallinson faced some bad publicity when it was revealed that not all of the yarns used in the knitted goods were silk-the new synthetic fiber, rayon (called artificial silk when it was first introduced) appeared in some of them. Consumer advocates held the company to account for using a trademark selvage stamp "Mallinson's Silks Deluxe" for non-silk fabrics, so the company added a nother stamp, "Mallinson's Fabrics Deluxe" in response.
A length of M. C. Migel & Co., Inc "Ad Hoc" printed "Pussy Willow" Taffeta Brocade. Pure-dye, piece dyed, satin brocade taffeta, over printed by "Ad Hoc " process; first example of use in the U.S.
Warp float patterned jacquard-woven dress silk over-printed with rose stem design. One of 4 colorways of the same design. This colorway has a very dark green (almost black) ground with the flowers in orange-red, red, browns, peach, blue, yellow. with pink accent. "Ad Hoc" printing was defined as over printing in colors on a jacquard woven ground. M.C. Migel & Co., which in 1915 became H.R. Mallinson & Co., Inc., was known for innovation in silk design and silk manufacturing technology.
Sample length of a printed silk sheer, Mallinson tradename "Indestructible Chiffon Voile". Selvage width; selvage inscription. A sheer, plain weave all silk fabric printed with National Park series "Garden of the Gods" design; samples of five different color combinations (ground color are: peach, grey, blue, green, and orange). 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, etc. These samples illustrate how strikingly different a single design can appear by changing the colors of the ground and design elements.
A length of M. C. Migel & Co., Inc. Mexixe series, 1914. Taffeta silk: "Mexixe Pussy Willow". Pure dye printed taffeta, design "Mexican Cocheniel", inspired by Mexican textiles printed in medium blue, pink, green, black and white on a dark blue ground. Mexixe series, MC Migel. Printed on the Pussy Willow quality. Tossed, allover layout, non-directional; appears to be inspired by woven and embroidered bags and bands of cloth.. The Mexixe series was publicized as the first time an American textile company had utilized American design inspiration without looking to Paris first. The line was inspired by the prominence of Mexico and the US southwest in the news because of the US war against Pancho Villa.
M.C. Migel & Co., which in 1915 became H.R. Mallinson & Co., Inc., was known for innovation in silk design and silk manufacturing technology.
A length of "Pussy Willow" (trade name) taffeta, with a black satin overcheck, block printed with "Field Flowers" design. A block printed pure-dye silk, with a floral design (field flowers) from the 1915 Mallinson "State Flowers" series. There are five colors on a tan ground.. This design incorporated several state flowers and is one of 'national flower' designs in the 1915 State Flower series.
This series of State Flower designs was printed in limited colors and colorways - perhaps as a result of the dye shortages faced by American industry during World War I, as a result of the British blockade of German ports, and restriction of German exports. Germany was the world's most important producer of synthetic dyestuffs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
A length of M. C. Migel & Co., Inc. Mexixe series, 1914. Taffeta silk: "Mexixe Pussy Willow". Pure dye printed taffeta, design "Aztec armadillo and arrow". Dress silk with evenly space black satin weave stripes, printed with design of stylized animal and arrow feathers in red, orange, purple, teal, and black on a blue-green ground. The Mexixe series was publicized as the first time an American textile company had utilized American design inspiration without looking to Paris first. The line was inspired by the prominence of Mexico and the US southwest in the news because of the US war against Pancho Villa.
M.C. Migel & Co., which in 1915 became H.R. Mallinson & Co., Inc., was known for innovation in silk design and silk manufacturing technology.
H.R. Mallinson & Co. printed warp process sample. Section of printed silk warp, mounted on paper. Warp ends laid parallel to form a bank 13" wide upon which is printed an allover floral pattern. Given by H.R. Mallinson & Co. to illustrate the process of making a warp-printed silk. The characteristic 'water-color' or 'fuzzy' edges of a finished textile in which the design is printed on the warp threads before weaving is most prominent in plain woven fabrics. Another example donated by the company (T0567.A and .B) have plain woven bands with the printed warps extending below, to show the process more clearly.
A sample piece of H.R. Mallinson's "Slendora Brocade" in a cross-dyed, two-toned, turquoise jacquard-woven medallion design. The cross-dyed (a form of resist-dyeing) "Slendora Brocade" was Jacquard woven in rayon for the weft figure; contrasting with the silk ground. There were two dyes are in the same bath, and each fiber resists the dye meant for the other fiber for which it has no chemical affinity, thereby enabling a two color effect in one operation. The selvage inscription on this textile length (Mallinson's Fabrics De Luxe) is the one Mallinson used for its products that were not all-silk after an early 1920s 'truth-in-advertising' furor over silk manufacturers using rayon (then artificial silk) in their products without informing consumers.
A length of H. R. Mallinson & Co.'s trade name "Orchid Tissue Velvet." This is a process sample, in the raw, partly cut, to illustrate the double woven velvet, with two ground cloths woven simultaneously, face to face, sharing a single rayon pile warp working between them and joining them, with 8/32 of an inch between them. As fast as this double cloth is woven, the pile warp is sliced through as the fabric comes off the loom by a knife attached to the loom, giving two separate lengths of velvet, each with a silk ground and a rayon pile measuring 4/32 of an inch.. The ground is an open mesh-like plain weave of Japan silk. The pile is rayon.
H.R. Mallinson & Co. printed warp process sample. Section of printed silk warp, mounted on paper. Warp ends laid parallel to form a bank 15" wide upon which is printed a detached floral motif. Given by H.R. Mallinson & Co. to illustrate the process of making a warp-printed silk. The characteristic 'water-color' or 'fuzzy' edges of a finished textile in which the design is printed on the warp threads before weaving is most prominent in plain woven fabrics. Another example donated by the company (T0567.A and .B) have plain woven bands with the printed warps extending below, to show the process more clearly.
A length of M.C. Migel & Co., Inc. Mexixe series.Taffeta silk: "Mexixe Pussy Willow". Pure dye printed taffeta, design "Mexican Moon" in rainbow tones on "Aztech blue" ground.
Printed dress silk with bright blue ground, design of swirling balls of color scattered overall, in blues, greens, red, orange, yellow, black, white. The Mexixe series was publicized as the first time an American textile company had utilized American design inspiration without looking to Paris first. The line was inspired by the prominence of Mexico and the US southwest in the news because of the US war against Pancho Villa.
M.C. Migel & Co., which in 1915 became H.R. Mallinson & Co., Inc., was known for innovation in silk design and silk manufacturing technology.
A length of H.R. Mallinson's pure-dye "Pussy Willow" (trade name) Taffeta--a plain weave silk, cylinder (roller) printed with one of the company's 1915 "State flower" designs: Rhode Island Violets --colors: lavenders and greens on a plain white ground. The sprays of violets are scattered across the ground fabric, in a non-directional layout.
This series of State Flower designs was printed in limited colors and colorways - perhaps as a result of the dye shortages faced by American industry during World War I, as a result of the British blockade of German ports, and restriction of German exports. Germany was the world's most important producer of synthetic dyestuffs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
A length of the "Sioux War Bonnet" design dress silk; Mallinson's American Indian series. The manufacturer's number for this fabric quality (Pussy Willow) is #5459. Pussy Willow was a long time Mallinson trade name for an unweighted, pure dye plain weave silk with a soft hand. At the time it was popular it was considered similar to a generic fabric type called "radium". This is a large sample with small colorway samples attached. The Sioux War Bonnet design is an allover repeat pattern, with a non-directional effect; based on the large feathered headdress of the Sioux Indians.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 American Indian and Early American series. THis colorway has a gray ground with predominantly red, blue, and black patterning.
Mallinson's American Indian series followed the "National Parks" and "Wonder Caves of America" designs, and illustrates the company's continuing interest in using American themes, and in utilizing the collections of New York area museums for research and inspiration.
A sample cut with colorways of printed 'Pussy Willow' silk. a fine soft plain weave fabric, Mallinson's longest-lasting trade-name. One of the 1929 "American State Flowers" series: Rhododendron, West Virginia; peach blossom, Delaware; daisy, North Carolina.; Eight samples, one of each colorway. One 18" x 40" sample with a tan ground (#12); 7 attached 8" x 6" samples: ground colors are: black (#5, #25), blue (#4), green (#7), dark blue (#10, #20), white (#15). Selvage inscription gives company name, state names and associated flowers.
Sample length of a printed silk sheer, Mallinson tradename "Indestructible Chiffon Voile". Selvage width; selvage inscription. A sheer, plain weave all silk fabric printed with National Park series "Garden of the Gods" design; samples of five different color combinations (ground color are: peach, grey, blue, green, and orange). 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, etc. These samples illustrate how strikingly different a single design can appear by changing the colors of the ground and design elements.
A length of piece dyed silk, Mallinson tradename 'Molly O Crepe", in tan. Satin-faced crepe (or crepe-backed satin) fabric which can be made up either as a crepe or satin with the reverse side forming a suitable trimming. Selvage width; selvage inscription. The H.R. Mallinson company was well known for introducing new textures and weave effects in its product line. These were the 'novelties' as opposed to fabrics such as Pussy Willow and Indestructible Voile, which were the company's staple products and remained in the line for years, even decades. This solid-color fabric coordinates with print colors used in the Mallinson National Park series of printed dress silks.
A length of hand-block-printed, satin-striped, Indestructible Voile -- A Mallinson trade name for a sheer, plain weave silk fabric. This example has satin-weave stripes of two widths combined to form a 9 3/4" warp stripe. Printed by hand, with large circular motifs in "Mermaid" design (mermaids and fish swimming in a roundel format) in 5 colors (orange, turquoise, purple, gray, pink, and beige) on a black ground. This design was probably purchased by Mallinson from textile designer and participant in the numerous desin contests of the period, Hazel Burnham Slaughter.
A Chinoiserie floral design screen-printed silk crepe shawl by H.R. Mallinson & Co. Made from an all-silk, medium weight crepe fabric; screen printed with a large, multi-colored floral pattern and 2 bands, gray and buff, on a black ground. A Chinese-inspired floral - one edge with roundels in the corners, a center bouquet on one edge, a central bouquet with a trailing vine and squash design; and along the other edge a continuous floral design with trailing stems of bell shaped flowers. Due to the size of the design, which cannot be printed on a 15" roller, and the number of colors, this design was screen printed. An early use of this technology. Manufacturer's numbers: fabric quality #4571; pattern #5193; The colors are purple, hot pink, gray-green, buff, orange, light orange, light green. The end with the continuous floral design has been cut across unevenly.
