i was left this material by an old aunt who told me it was silk and comes from the 1880’s/90’s the material is wrapped around a flat wooden hardwood board which has paper wrapped around it. I cannot find the makers name. I’m hoping someone can help me identify the pattern. There is approx 24 yards of it
Your fabric looks like a floral silk damask to me. Damasks are woven on jacquard looms, and are reversible. It is beautiful! You can read more about damasks in our Fabric Resource: https://vintagefashionguild.org/fabric-resource/damask/
That is beautiful, and it is rare to find such a large quantity of an antique fabric still on the original bolt. The pattern and colors look as if they certainly could be from the 1880-1890s, although patterns were revived over the centuries many many times. A good clue to the date is the width of the fabric, as most Victorian fabrics were more narrow than 20th century textiles. How wide is the fabric?
That is a beautiful textile. May I suggest you immediately remove the hardwood board and paper around which it is wrapped, before the acids in both do any (more?) damage to the damask.
Craig, Interesting to know it is 51 inches wide. That is too wide for it to be made in the 1880s or 1890s. Dress fabrics were made on a more narrow loom, and so the fabric itself was more narrow. I suppose there could be some rare exception to this rule but the width indicates a 20th century textile. You could do some more research on that. Is it a lightweight fabric such as used for dresses, or is more medium weight? What is the repeat of the pattern, that is the size in inches of each floral bouquet? Just wondering if this was made for dressmaking or upholstery use. Also, you should determine if it is indeed silk. Probably is, but you want to be sure. you can do a burn test and let us know the results. Snip a tiny piece and place it over a flame (not a match head) and watch it burn (let it self exinnguish or gently blow it out) and then smell the ashes while the smoke is still present. If it smells like burning hair it is silk. If not, it may be rayon or some other fiber. It is vintage and is gorgeous and the fact that you have so much of it is wonderful.
Hi Barbara thanks so much for all your help. I’ve burned some fabric & it definitely smells of burning hair. I’ve measured the main large flower pattern. It is 20” X 24” across and has distance between flower pattern of 6” . The material is lightweight have no idea if it’s clothing or upholstery but it is very light. Craig
I'm an interior designer. In my experience fabrics historically are or were woven in widths as narrow as 36" and as wide as 118" but the majority of fabrics intended for use as draperies are 48" wide and fabrics intended for use as upholstery (or pillows or slipcovers, etc.) are 54" wide. Fabrics made to be used for clothing are/were usually 44" wide - at least during the last 35 years of the 20th Century and into the beginning of this one! Generally drapery fabrics are lighter weight than upholstery weight fabrics or multi-purpose fabrics. Draperies are usually lined. 20" x 24" is a large scale pattern for clothing, and due to the width, I think this fabric was intended to be used as drapery fabric. 51" is an unusual width. Is there selvage on either side making the usable width 48"? (Selvage is the part at either side of the width of the fabric that is plain without any pattern on it. )
Craig, Happy to know it is indeed silk. The repeat and size of the main design strongly suggest this was for upholstery or drapery use. The pattern might work for a large and very voluminous skirt, but the design would get totally cut up if used for a woman's dress bodice, sleeves, etc. Lightweight silks could often be used for fine drapery and finer upholstery. Probably is European. I wonder if it is a Scalamandre' silk. Maybe your aunt could think back and recall where she got this, and shed more light on its history.
Yes, we did! Craig said the fabric was very light and that is why I think it was meant for draperies or possibly a table skirt. If it's really light it could not be used as upholstery or even pillows unless it were lined or backed. It could be European, or it could be Scalamandré. 51" is an unusual width.
