Group of 8 American Woolen Co., wool outerwear fabric samples, 1912. Sample edges are pinked.. Melton (samples 3, 7, and 8) is a thick, densely fulled fabric with a closely cut napped surface, used for dressy overcoats and jackets. Samples 1,4,5, and 6 are tagged as "overcoatings." Colors: 1-Medium grey; 2-Dark brown; 3-Medium light grey; 4-Black; 5-Black; 6-Midnight blue; 7-Black; 8-Midnight blue.
Manufactured by the National and Providence Worsted Mills, Providence, RI. The Providence and National Worsted Mills, founded in Rhode Island in the 1870s, were originally two companies owned by Charles Fletcher, one a spinning and one a weaving mill for working with worsted yarns. Fletcher amalgamated the two companies into one in 1893, and then sold this company to the large Lawrence-based American Woolen Company in 1899. When the Lawrence mill workers struck against pay cuts in 1912 (the Bread and Roses strike), the American Woolen Company was one of the firms affected. The Rhode Island mills, however, did not strike.
Group of eight woven wool fabric samples; Coarse fancy worsted mixtures; All Worsted, Mill finish skein-dyed mixtures. Bound with black tape by machine. From the American Woolen Company; manufactured by The National and Providence Worsted Mills. COLORS: 1. Dark grey, 2. Very dark grey, 3. Very dark grey with white pin stripes, 4. Dark brown and grey mixture, 5. Navy, 6. Dark brownish grey mixture, 7. Black-brown mixture, 8. Black.
The Providence and National Worsted Mills, founded in Rhode Island in the 1870s, were originally two companies owned by Charles Fletcher, one a spinning and one a weaving mill for working with worsted yarns. Fletcher amalgamated the two companies into one in 1893, and then sold this company to the large Lawrence-based American Woolen Company in 1899. When the Lawrence mill workers struck against pay cuts in 1912 (the Bread and Roses strike), the American Woolen Company was one of the firms affected. The Rhode Island mills, however, did not strike.
American Woolen Company trouser fabric samples, 1912. All worsted mixture trouserings. Four samples. Skein dyed. All in grey with black stripes; the style of stripes varies in each sample. Bound with black tape by machine. Manufactured by the National and Providence Worsted Mills, Providence, RI. The Providence and National Worsted Mills, founded in Rhode Island in the 1870s, were originally two companies owned by Charles Fletcher, one a spinning and one a weaving mill for working with worsted yarns. Fletcher amalgamated the two companies into one in 1893, and then sold this company to the large Lawrence-based American Woolen Company in 1899. When the Lawrence mill workers struck against pay cuts in 1912 (the Bread and Roses strike), the American Woolen Company was one of the firms affected. The Rhode Island mills, however, did not strike.
Cheney Brothers men's fancy accordion knit cravats in the piece, 1913. Black and copper-color (dull orange), Fancy accordion knit.silk cravats, three ties in one piece, as it comes from the knitting machine. At some point in its past this length has been cut into two pieces, each containing one and one-half tie lengths.
Cheney Brothers men's tubular woven cravats, in the piece, 1913. Fancy accordion weave, as it came from the loom. Red and black vertical striping with horizontal ribbed multicolor bands at 2" intervals. Three ties in one long piece, originally donated as one length containing three ties, the textile was been cut in two at some time in the past.
A length of Mallinson's trade name Pussy Willow silk fabric --printed with a multi-colored design titled "Bermuda" of corals and marine creatures with tropical flowers in pinks, white, black, light blue-green, and reds on a ground of bright blue-green. One of the Mallinson Playgrounds of the World series of printed silks. Selvage inscription. Company numbers: 1900/2666. Colorway # 27.
Rockland Silk Co. "Gros de Londre" dress silk; 1918. Glace fabric with very fine, flat crosswise ribs; lighter in weight than faille. Used as a ground cloth for 'camouflage' in making up. Color: Canary and flesh. One sample, 36.5" L x 36" w. . Rockland Silk Co. Mill at Haverstraw, NY; Sales offices at 77 Madison Ave, New York, NY. Given in January 1918. Rockland was in operation at least by 1895, and was purchased by H.K.H Silk Co. in 1921.
Rockland Silk Co. "Camouflage" design crepe; 1918. Printed silk crepe, titled 'Camouflage'. Diaphanous crepe of special weave construction in inifinitesimal armure effects, printed with an allover pattern in a spider web design in smoke gray on a tan ground. Rockland Silk Co. Mill at Haverstraw, NY; Sales offices at 77 Madison Ave, New York, NY. Given in January 1918. Rockland was in operation at least by 1895, and was purchased by H.K.H Silk Co. in 1921.
A sample length of a Goodall-Sanford Inc. fall weight suiting fabric, trademarked name "Good-All-Year"; A blend of wool, rayon, and nylon developed for warmer homes, offices, and automobiles.. A tweed-like weave in black and gray.
Part of a gift of 14 fabric samples and 11 fiber samples by Goodall-Sanford Inc., Sanford, Maine, to illustrate "Fiber Blending for Better Performance", in September 1951. The Goodall Worsted Company (maker of the mohair and cotton blend fabric "Palm Beach Cloth"), and the Sanford Mills (maker of mohair and wool velvets, plushes, and imitation fur fabrics) merged in 1944 to form Goodall-Sanford Inc. Palm Beach cloth was a menswear summer staple, and was one of the first fabrics considered "easy-care", although both its components were natural fibers. This donation illustrates some of the company's other efforts at blending fibers, in this case natural and synthetic blends. Goodall-Sanford's sales headquarters were at 545 Madison Avenue, NY 22, NY.
American Woolen Company fabric samples of woven wool "broad diagonal suiting"; two different shades of dark blue; bound with black tape by machine. A = Very Dark blue; B = Dark blue. Piece-dyed - woven in the gray (undyed yarn) and dyed after being woven. Label: "A.W.Co. of N.Y., Dept ONE-B" "London Shrunk ". Made in the American Woolen Company's National & Providence Worsted Mills. The Providence and National Worsted Mills, founded in Rhode Island in the 1870s, were originally two companies owned by Charles Fletcher, one a spinning and one a weaving mill for working with worsted yarns. Fletcher amalgamated the two companies into one in 1893, and then sold this company to the large Lawrence-based American Woolen Company in 1899. When the Lawrence mill workers struck against pay cuts in 1912 (the Bread and Roses strike), the American Woolen Company was one of the firms affected. The RHode Island mills, however, did not strike.
Group of 13 American Woolen Co. all-wool suiting fabric samples, tweeds and twills; 1912. Sample edges of 2-6 are pinked, 1,7-13 machine bound with tape. Samples are: 1-Brown herringbone tweed; 2-Navy & brown; 3-Brown tweed; 4-Grey & blue herringbone; 5-Blue tweed; 6-Light grey; 7-Brown twill; 8-Brown tweed; 9-Black & white twill; 10-Black & grey twill; 11-Black & Grey tweed; 12-Brown twill; 13-Brown tweed with red and rust specks.
Manufactured by the National and Providence Worsted Mills, Providence, RI. The Providence and National Worsted Mills, founded in Rhode Island in the 1870s, were originally two companies owned by Charles Fletcher, one a spinning and one a weaving mill for working with worsted yarns. Fletcher amalgamated the two companies into one in 1893, and then sold this company to the large Lawrence-based American Woolen Company in 1899. When the Lawrence mill workers struck against pay cuts in 1912 (the Bread and Roses strike), the American Woolen Company was one of the firms affected. The Rhode Island mills, however, did not strike.
American Woolen Co. all wool overcoat fabric samples, 1912. Edges of samples pinked. Note on the card is that there are 5 samples; a numbering error has been made that list 6 samples. The five known samples are: Dark brown; medium brown; dark gray; dark gray; navy blue and gray.
Manufactured by the National and Providence Worsted Mills, Providence, RI. The Providence and National Worsted Mills, founded in Rhode Island in the 1870s, were originally two companies owned by Charles Fletcher, one a spinning and one a weaving mill for working with worsted yarns. Fletcher amalgamated the two companies into one in 1893, and then sold this company to the large Lawrence-based American Woolen Company in 1899. When the Lawrence mill workers struck against pay cuts in 1912 (the Bread and Roses strike), the American Woolen Company was one of the firms affected. The Rhode Island mills, however, did not strike.
Sample length of Goodall-Sanford Inc., fabric for automotive upholstery; Dark blue, in a blend of rayon, cotton, wool, and mohair. This kind of fabric gets hard wear and requires "slide-abiity" and specially developed blends of fibres.
Part of a gift of 14 fabric samples and 11 fiber samples by Goodall-Sanford Inc., Sanford, Maine, to illustrate "Fiber Blending for Better Performance", in September 1951. The Goodall Worsted Company (maker of the mohair and cotton blend fabric "Palm Beach Cloth"), and the Sanford Mills (maker of mohair and wool velvets, plushes, and imitation fur fabrics) merged in 1944 to form Goodall-Sanford Inc. Palm Beach cloth was a menswear summer staple, and was one of the first fabrics considered "easy-care", although both its components were natural fibers. This donation illustrates some of the company's other efforts at blending fibers, in this case natural and synthetic blends. Goodall-Sanford's sales headquarters were at 545 Madison Avenue, NY 22, NY.
Group of six all worsted mixture fabric samples of woven wool; Mill finish skein dyed; bound with black tape by machine. From the American Woolen Company; The National and Providence Worsted Mills. A. Brown; B. Midnight blue; C. Brown; D. Blue; E. Brown with Black pinstripe; F. Blue with Black pinstripe
Manufactured by the National and Providence Woolen Mills, Providence, RI.
The Providence and National Worsted Mills, founded in Rhode Island in the 1870s, were originally two companies owned by Charles Fletcher, one a spinning and one a weaving mill for working with worsted yarns. Fletcher amalgamated the two companies into one in 1893, and then sold this company to the large Lawrence-based American Woolen Company in 1899. When the Lawrence mill workers struck against pay cuts in 1912 (the Bread and Roses strike), the American Woolen Company was one of the firms affected. The Rhode Island mills, however, did not strike.
Silk dress made from silk produced by silk worms raised in Connecticut by Miss Abigail Sherwood, and sent to England for turning into cloth. The weaver's bill that accompanied this dress stated charges for spinning, weaving, and stamping: therefore it is possible that Miss Sherwood reeled the silk from the cocoons and sent the reeled skeins to England for further processing. However, the donor's note states that Abigail's brother, Capt. Edwin Sherwood, took the cocoons to England. The dress is made of a closely woven, plain weave silk. The yarns are slightly irregular, which would be typical in a home reeled- product. The fabric is described in the original cataloging as having a "pongee-like ground." It is printed with an all-over floral pattern in green, yellow, and purple. The dress is one-piece. The bodice is fitted and boned. It has a V-neckline trimmed with narrow silk braid, a drop-shoulder bertha effect edged with silk fringe, long sleeves, and a pointed front basque joined with cording to a full, gathered skirt. The dress is lined throughout, and was both made and worn by Abigail Sherwood. The dress is in quite a fragile condition. It is an important example of the efforts to establish sericulture in Connecticut and elsewhere in the US during the early 19th century.
A process sample length of H.R. Mallinson's "Slendora Brocade" in a snakeskin pattern. Slendora Brocade is a weft-figured Jacquard woven fabric, with a rayon pattern weft and silk ground. This process sample illustrates the cloth from the loom, after it has been boiled in soap and water to remove the gum of the silk and then finished. See T05756. Manufacturer's numbers: Fabric quality #4019; pattern # 8529; color #901, white.
H.R. Mallinson & Co. warp-printed taffeta process sample. A section of partly woven printed warp. Full width sample of printed warp which has been partly woven and shows 8 inches of the taffeta fabric with its detached floral motif. Colors: yellow, cerise, purple, green. Two identical samples, A is 16 1/2" L x 25" W; B is 16 1/2" L x 12 1/2" W.
An H.R. Mallinson & Co. screen-printed silk crepe shawl. An all silk, medium weight crepe fabric (quality # 1754); screen-printed with a floral pattern - somewhat 'orientalist" in inspiration - in dark red, rust red, yellow, pink, cerise, brown, buff, purple, black, and white on a golden orange-yellow ground. The design forms a border across one end that runs part way up the selvage sides. A single flower motif finishes the two upper corners. Colorway # 3. The edges have been roll-hemmed. One of a group of five screen-printed silk crepe shawls given by the Mallinson firm in 1928 to illustrate their early use of this new printing technique in industrial production.
A length of Mallinson's rayon pile transparent velvet fabric: "Orchid tissue Velvet". Sheer, almost transparent, plain weave fabric having a Japan silk base and rayon pile. Piece dyed in solid colors. This example dyed beige. Other samples: T05751.A (black) and T05751.C.(tan). Mfr's quality # 159. This color is mfr # 6300. Transparent velvet was a marketing name beginning in the 1920s for a solid cut pile woven on a sheer ground, giving a very soft hand. Transparent velvets were also usually rayon pile on a silk ground..
A sample piece of H.R. Mallinson's "Slendora Brocade" in a cross-dyed pinkish-brown and green jacquard-woven snakeskin 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.
