Soft Yellow & White Striped Silk Taffeta
Chinese, India, Persian, English & French “taffety” or taffeta, such as this Soft Yellow & White Striped Silk Taffeta, were all common silks advertised in the 18th and 19th centuries. Woven plain, they were made in a variety of colors, some changeable, some “chine” or warp-printed, and some with stripes, checks or patterns. All were woven in a like-fashion, varying 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. 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.
Stripes and checks (including patterns that you might call a plaid today) were among the many types of patterns woven. The Victoria & Albert holds a French Merchant's silk book of 1764 with a variety of patterns.
