A length of printed crepe plain weave fabric. Pattern "Colonial Stars", one of the H.R. Mallinson & Co.George Washington Bicentennial Prints. The allover, tossed, non-directional design uses blue stars, singly and in groups of 2 and 3 against a ground of evenly spaced tiny blue dots on an off-white ground. The discoloration and oily residue apparent on this fabric sample suggests that either a) it was not either pure dye or pure silk, as are most of the other Mallinson fabrics; or b) it was stored in contact with another object from which it picked up the residue which discolored it. More research needs to be done to determine the origin of the damage.
..A length of Mallinson trade name "Indestructible Voile" sheer silk fabric printed with the "Palm Beach" design from the firm's 1928 "Playgrounds of the World" series. "Indestructible Voile" was one of the Mallinson firm's perennial best-selling silk qualities, and was a long-serving trade name. The print is an allover design with a block layout; scenes of bathing, dining, horseback riding, and architectural features of the "Palm Beach" scene, set off by palm trees. Colorway is in in shades of red, purple, gray and yellow on ground of pink (tea rose). The typical Mallinson selvage inscription, Mallinson's Silks DeLuxe Playgrounds of the World Palm Beach. Company numbers: 1800/2664. Colorway # 13. The company gave a photograph of the area represented in the design as part of this accession.
Length of batik (wax-resist-dyed) fabric, extraordinary non-repeating design of domesticated and wild animals, birds, insects, reptiles, human figures, and flowers in multi-colors on an off white, plain weave cotton ground, patterned with scrolling stems and small comma-like marks. Figures not to one scale. There is a building depicted in the center, and many of the figures are shown in pairs, possibly male and female. Noah's Ark depiction? Or another myth? Java, Indonesia; 1900-1950. 97.5" L x 41.5" wide. Selvage width panel. Tjanting batik, with the wax drawn by hand. One of three batiks with very different patterning given by the same donor, and numbered as .00A, .00B, and .00C. One of a group of five Indonesian textiles given by the donor.
A length of printed pure dye silk crepe. Soft lustrous plain weave fabric pattern "Virginia Floral", one of the H.R. Mallinson & Co. George Washington Bicentennial prints. Colonial gardens inspired the design of flower garlands, dotted with candlesticks and lanterns.
A length of printed crepe. Pattern "Nellie Custis" one of the H.R. Mallinson & Co. George Washington Bicentennial prints.Pattern inspired by an old silk brocade is made up of many different tiny flower motifs with plain 2 inch border along one selvage, outlined with a flower garland in a running vine effect. The discoloration and oily residue apparent in this textile sample suggests that either a) it was not either pure dye or pure silk, as most of the other Mallinson samples are, or b) it was stored for some time in contact with another object that damaged it. Additional research should be done to determine the source and cause of the discoloration and residue.
A length of Mallinson trade name "Vagabond crepe" novelty silk printed with the "Palm Beach" design from the firm's 1928 "Playgrounds of the World" series. This crepe variation is woven with doupioni weft or filling (rough, irregular silk reeled from double cocoons) and silk warp. The print is an allover design with a block layout; scenes of bathing, dining, horseback riding, and architectural features of the "Palm Beach" scene, set off by palm trees. Colorway is in blue, orchid, tan, brown, gold and black on a white ground.
The typical Mallinson selvage inscription, Mallinson's Silks DeLuxe Playgrounds of the World Palm Beach. Company numbers: 523/2664. Colorway # 16.
After a young lady learned to embroider a sampler, she might attend a female academy to make a silk embroidered picture. This was a more challenging technique that became popular in the early 1800s. Subjects included classical, biblical, and historical scenes, as well as mourning pictures. The death of George Washington gave impetus to this new fad of the mourning picture. The genre included an assortment of plinths, urn, mourners, and trees in a garden setting.
This mourning embroidery by Mary Gorham was dedicated to her father, Capt. Isaac Gorham. The pastoral image shows a woman approaching an urn on a plinth that rests beneath a three-branched weeping willow. The large gold urn, outlined in brown and garlanded with flowers, carries on its marble-simulated silk embroidered pedestal the inked inscription: "Cap.t Isaac / Gorham born / Feb.y 15 . 1747 . died / Aug.t. 13. 1795. aged / 48." The young woman, in a white Regency costume with a brown bow, stands to the right of the urn. Her bonnet is completed in black ink; her features and curls are inked in brown; one arm is outlined in graphite, and the other is barely visible behind a willow branch. The picture is in the original gold leaf frame, and the glass is reverse-painted in black, with gold leaf motifs in each corner and a 1/4" gold rim around the oval mourning picture with the maker's name, "M. GORHAM," at the bottom. It is stitched on a plain weave ivory silk ground with silk embroidery threads. The stitches are seed, lazy daisy, straight, satin, and outline.
This example includes the typical objects found in mourning embroideries: a garden, weeping willow trees, a woman in mourning, and an urn on a plinth. The willow tree is a symbol of mourning and sorrow as well as a tree that drains the ground of water, thereby keeping the site dry. Capt. Isaac Gorham was a mariner and he died at sea.
Mary Gorham was born December 10, 1791, to Isaac and Sarah Thomas Gorham in Bristol, Rhode Island. She married Rev. John P. K. Henshaw(1792-1852) on July 19, 1814. They had eleven children: John Kewley (1815-1843), Alexander (1817-1854), Mary Gorham (1819-1888), William Milnor (1820-1850), Rev. Daniel (1822-1908), Charles Henry (1825-1825), Elizabeth W. (1826-1826), I. Gorham (1828-1828), Charles Henry (1830-1910), Richmond (1833-1890), and Sarah (1831-1832). Mary died September 26, 1881, in Bristol, Rhode Island. See her older sister Jemina Gorham’s sampler.