Blue & Gold Checked Silk Taffeta
Chinese, India, Persian, English & French “taffety” or taffeta, such as this Blue & Gold Checked Silk Taffeta, were commonly advertised in the 18th and 19th centuries. They were available in a variety of colors and patterns, including changeable, “chines” or warp printed, striped, checked (as in this Blue & Gold Checked Silk Taffeta), or patterned. They were woven with a plain weave, and varied only in their width or number of silk yarns in the warp and weft. After the American Revolution, great quantities of silk came to the states directly from China, including taffetas, satins and lustrings. The Victoria & Albert holds a French Merchant's silk book of 1764 with silk checks much like these.
These checks offered color and interest, while still maintaining a cost within the reach of the middlin' consumer. Likewise, the manufacturer could use these checked grounds to elaborate with brocaded motifs for the more affluent customer. Silk was available to all social classes in varying qualities; for instance, those with less wealth might have purchased cheaper silks or found silks from the secondhand market.
- This Blue & Gold Checked Silk Taffeta is lightweight with a crisp hand.
- Suitable for Gowns, Skirts, Jackets, Mantles, Pelisses, Men's Banyans and Wrapping Gowns, Waistcoats, Linings and Accessories.
- 100% Silk 53 inches wide.
