The fabric design is most unusual and at first glance looks like an Indian print but this was printed in Britain. This would have been printed first with the flower sprays and then overprinted with the pale saffron flower sprig ground. The blues and yellows have been pencilled in, that is, painted by hand after the other colours had been block printed. By superimposing them, green was produced. These techniques give the cloth a particular charm. What is really interesting about this design is that the flower spray resembles a 17th c. 'slip' see ARTICLES section. There is a slight glaze on the fabric which means this has not been washed many times. For more information on block printed textiles see:Baumgarten, Linda What Clothes Reveal p 49. O'Connor, Deryn & Granger Taylor, Hero Colour and the Calico Printer
of glazed cotton hand block printed with an Indian inspired flower spray of roses, each with four thorny stems, 2 1/4 in. high, all in shades of madder, a soft orange, green, aubergine, pale blue and saffron, the background with a feint foliage design, the front with simple neck and squared off waist, elbow length sleeves with shaped cuffs flaring outwards, the bodice lined with linen with five lacing holes each side, a drawstrip round the neck, the unlined skirt falling from small regular pleats, two pocket slits , 62 in; 58 cm shoulder to hem; 36 in;92 cm bust; width of cotton hem 81 in; 2m 6cm; cotton width approx 35 1/2 in. 90 cm.
Very good. The cotton feels crisp and fresh. The bodice is very good condition apart from where the drawing cord has worn away the top edge. This can be conserved by us if you wish. The skirt has a few small holes: there is one small darn 1 1/4 in; 3 cm. Two very small pin head size holes; 5- 1/4 in. size slits; another 1/2 x 1/8 in.; another slit 1 1/4 in. Photos available.
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