what do you think these initials are? and why 2 sets?

Hattysattic

Hattysattic

VFG Secretary
i am busily avoiding the enormous workload that is sitting right behind me as i type, and am scrolling through my picture files looking at things i had taken shots of as i'd meant to consult everyone here about them.

these pics are from a 1920's coat with single closure on one hip, lined in a very soft fine velvety wool (sorry descriptive area of brain switched off today!).
anyway it's woven with various bands of decoration, including these two sets of initials.





sorry pics are enormous and a bit on the quick snap side. i just wondered if anyone could decipher them, and/or knew why there would be 2 different sets of initials?

they are in bands around the coat, first one set, then the other, and so on down to the hem.


ok enough skiving back to photoshopping my actual listings... :saint:
 
I see LWY on the second one, too.

The first one is more difficult to make out...WBC or WBG? (A "B" is the only thing I can get out of the middle initial, but I don't think that's what it really is.)

Laura
 
lol! thank you all - you've all done better than me. so i wonder if there is any significance to them? i'll try and get a picture of the coat to put it in more context.
 
I think it's W A G. Or W A C? All I can see in the middle initial that's even a slight possibility is "A".

Maybe one initial set is the seamstress & one set is the owner? Like it was custom made for so&so by so & so?
Or - one set is the actual weaver's initials?

Best I can do.
leisa
 
Hi Harriet,

I was recently doing some research on Moorish/Islamic architecture because I have an embroidered coat (currently on eBay) that is embroidered in a design reminiscent of the geometric tile designs used in this type of architecture. Anyway, what your initials remind me of is Arabic calligraphy. These types of designs would have been popular during that period and may have been incorporated stritcly as a design feature. My feeling is that that is what you have here.

It's kind of like the calligraphic signatures that you find on paisley shawls. I've read that originally those were laundry marks. I've also read that they indicated a weaver and that they were totally random and meaningless. Who knows!
 
thank you very much candy! that explains it then i think - when you see them in context with the rest of the coat they aren't immediately obvious, so for them to be simply a design feature would make a lot of sense.

:USETHUMBUP:

now that is sorted i need to find more distractions from listing...
 
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