Kincob

Kincob India About 1850 Silk Width 76cm x Length 457 cm 742-1852

Trailing vine pattern in woven stripes of gold, red and green on purple silk ground. Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for £38.10s (£38.50) and described as 'Kinkhob Buengunee' in the 1852 Inventory.

Kincob, an anglicised term of uncertain origin, is a rich silk fabric with patterns woven in a weft thread of gold and silver-wrapped thread (zari), made by wrapping gold or silver wire around a silk core (kalabuttu zari). Kincob was usually sold by weight. Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centre during the Mughal period. Some of the examples shown at the 1851 Exhibition were sold off by weight afterwards, for their metal value alone.

Kincob

Kincob India About 1850 Silk Width 81 cm x Length 457 cm 744-1852

Flower design woven in stripes of gold and other colours on red silk ground. Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for £32 and described as 'Kinkhob Beyla' in the 1852 Inventory.

Kincob, an anglicised term of uncertain origin, is a rich silk fabric with patterns woven in a weft thread of gold and silver-wrapped thread (zari), made by wrapping gold or silver wire around a silk core (kalabuttu zari). Kincob was usually sold by weight. Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centre during the Mughal period. The elaborate type of pattern shown here is called 'meenakari' (enamelling). This was also included in John Forbes Watson's second series of 'The Textile Manufactures and Costumes of the People of India' (Series 2, No 403).

Kincob

Kincob India About 1850 Silk Width 78cm x Length 441cm 752B-1852

Silk with gold ground and trellis design in silver, black and red, containing a flower pattern. This piece was purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for £32.10s (£32.50) and was described as 'Kinkhob Jhaldar' (Jhali or jali, trellis or net) in the 1852 Inventory.

Kincob, an anglicised term of uncertain origin, is a rich silk fabric with patterns woven in a weft thread of gold and silver-wrapped thread (zari), made by wrapping gold or silver wire around a silk core (kalabuttu zari). Kincob was usually sold by weight. Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centre during the Mughal period. The net or trellis pattern was emulated by design 'reformers' such as William Morris and Owen Jones in Britain and usually referred to as a 'diaper' pattern.

Dress piece

Dress piece India 1882 Silver, silk, spangles & beetle wings Width 53 cm x Length 126 cm 753-1852

Flower pattern made of woven strips of silver and silk wefts with applied metal strips in leaf shapes, dome-shaped spangles (katori) and pieces of beetle wing.

Gold embroidery (zardozi) used different forms of metal thread, shaped pieces of metal foil and hammered metal spangles (chumkis), as well as pieces of the iridescent wing-cases (elytra) of the beetle Sternocera aequisignata (family Buprestidae, Jewel Beetles). Many of these beetle wing cases were collected in Burma (Myanmar) and sold on through Calcutta (Kolkata). Valued for their hardness and permanence of colour, their reflective qualities were sometimes thought to ward off evil spirits. Beetle wings were used by both indigenous groups such as the Naga of north-east India and in sumptuous Mughal court dress.

Beetle wing embroidery became fashionable in Europe in the 19th century. It was usually done in India, but sometimes in Europe, using imported cut and pierced sections of beetle wing. It was incorporated in spectacular dresses worn by women who lived in India like Lady Russell and Lady Curzon, wife of the Viceroy, whose dress made by the couturier Worth in Paris for the 1902 Delhi Durbar (now in Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire), incorporated Indian beetle wing embroidery. John Singer Sargent's (1889) portrait of the actor Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth (Tate Britain) portrayed her in a beetle-wing embroidered gown designed by Alice Comyns Carr. It was embroidered in England using pieces of Indian beetle wing (now at Smallhythe Place, Kent). Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for £2.12s.6d (£2.65) by Caspar Purdon Clarke.

Shawl

Shawl India About 1850 Silk brocade Width 116 cm x Length 116 cm 754-1852

Silk woven with gold and silver; floral repeat in field and border with flower motifs, floral meanders and chevron designs. Purchased for £5 from the 1851 Exhibition.

Sari

Sari India About 1850 Silk Width 119 cm x Length 640 cm 767-1852

Crimson silk and gold-wrapped thread. Described as Pethumbur Kirmez in 1852 Inventory. The patterned, loose end (pallu) of this sari incorporates flower motifs, a floral meander, chevron (khajuri) and floral designs.

Silk has long been the most prized fabric in India for both secular and ritual use; it continues to be a popular and widely used material. Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, is still one of the major silk weaving centres in India.

Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for £22.

Sari

Sari India About 1850 Silk Width 160 cm x Length 500 cm 772-1852

Yellow silk with borders of floral scrolls alternating with fine chevrons, woven in red and gold. Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for £16 and described in the 1852 Inventory as 'Pethumbur Zurd' 'worn by men in mourning or at meals'.

Associated with ceremonial rites of India and deemed to be ritually pure, silk has been a highly revered fabric and continues to be a popular and widely used material. Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centre during the Mughal period.

Skirt piece

Skirt piece India mid-19th century Satin silk Width 115 cm x Length 140 cm 791-1852

Part of an un-sewn skirt. Yellow satin woven silk embroidered in chain stitch with silk thread. The professional male embroiderers from the Mochi (shoemaker) community in Kutch developed this embroidery technique by using an ari (hook) as well as a needle, adapting amethod used on leather. The designs were first outlined on the fabric through a pricked paper pattern. Embroideries such as this were made for and sold to wealthy Indian patrons.

Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition.

Dress fabric

Dress fabric India About 1850 Silk Width 81 cm x Length 487 cm 798-1852

Woven purple silk with repeating flowering plant design. This piece was purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for £4 and was illustrated in Henry Hardy Cole's 1874 Catalogue of the Indian collection at the South Kensington Museum as an example of good design.

Fabric like this uses silk alone to create a luxurious fabric. The repeating floral motif is typical of the Mughal and Deccani style used in all media including textiles. Aurangabad was an important centre for several types of silk weaving.

Textile piece

Textile piece India About 1850 Silk Width 76 cm x Length 487 cm 799-1852

Leaves and red flowers woven on a green ground. Fabric like this uses silk alone to create a luxurious fabric. The repeating floral motif is typical of the Mughal and Deccani style used in all media including textiles. Aurangabad was an important centre for several types of silk weaving.

Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for £3.10s (£3.50).

Blouse piece

Blouse piece India Early 19th century Embroidered satin Width 66 cm x Length 137 cm 800-1852

Uncut piece for a girl's blouse (jubla). Black satin embroidered with yellow and white flowers.

Although the 1852 Inventory says this piece is from Kutch, Gujarat, it was probably made for Parsis in Bombay (Mumbai), the descendents of Zoroastrians who emigrated to the Indian subcontinent from Persia over 1,000 years ago. A substantial Parsi community developed in Mumbai, successful in business and maintaining distinctive traditions including dress. The jubla was worn by young women, with loose trousers and a round embroidered cap.

Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for £2.

Scarf or sash (patka)

Scarf or sash (patka) India About 1850 Cotton Width 106 cm x length 289 cm 815-1852

Block printed cotton. The decorative ends of the scarf (pallav) show flowering plants; the designs were either stamped or stencilled.

Although described as 'printed chintz', by the 19th century this term was commonly used to describe any block printed cotton textile. Chintz actually involved many processes, involving drawing and dyeing rather than printing.

Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for 15s 8d (80p). Many similar pieces were purchased from the Exhibition.

Textile piece

Textile piece India About 1850 Cotton Width 1000 cm x 5800 cm 823-1852

Block printed with red flowers on a white ground.

Although described as 'printed chintz', by the 19th century this term was commonly used to describe any block printed cotton textile. Chintz actually involved many processes, involving drawing and dyeing rather than printing. This type of flower design was associated with the Mughals, but was also very popular in Rajasthan. This example is typical of work from Sanganer, near Jaipur, Rajasthan, where block printing was encouraged by the patronage of the Jaipur royal family. Printed cottons were also exported by the East India Company. Block printing is still practiced in Sanganer, using traditional seasoned teak wood blocks known as chhapas or buntis.

Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for 19s (95p).

Turban

Turban India About 1850 Muslin Width 22 cm x Length 1828 cm 826-1952

Red muslin overprinted in gold. The gold lattice pattern contains a quatrefoil motif.

Kota was, and is still, famous for the fine, translucent cotton cloth known as malmal. This type of fabric imitates the more expensive gold silk brocade. The design is stamped in gum onto the fabric, usually muslin. A layer of gold or silver foil (either real gold or silver leaf or ground mica) is laid on top and rubbed in. The residue is then thoroughly beaten into the cloth so that it will resist wearing. Stamped gold cloth is found in Rajasthan, which does not have a strong weaving tradition.

Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for 10s (50p).

Sari

Sari India About 1880 Cotton Width 130 cm x Length 426 cm IS.116-1883

Block printed cotton centre of chevrons enclosing floral pattern in red on green ground. Borders of flowering plants in boteh shape and running floral pattern on red ground.

According to the 1883 Inventory, this sari was made in Ahmedabad Jail, Gujarat. The British policy of setting up manufacturing projects in jails caused some controversy, particularly with respect to carpet production, as it was felt that the quality was generally inferior and the design and colourings vulgar. Jail productions were usually associated with carpet and durrie weaving.

Coverlet (razai)

Coverlet (razai) Pakistan About 1880 Cotton Width 134 cm x Length 254 cm IS.410-1883

Block printed cotton. The yellow ground is covered with a repeat of sprigs in red, black, and white; the floral borders contain large cones or boteh.

Textile piece

Textile piece Pakistan About 1880 Muslin Width 119 cm x Length 195 cm IS.411-1883

Dark blue muslin printed in bands of silver and gold with borders of sprigs and running floral designs and flowers.

The Punjab is known for printing with gum (roghan) which sometimes has a metallic element,. The design is stamped onto the fabric, usually cotton, in gum. A layer of gold or silver foil (either real gold or silver leaf or ground mica) is laid on top and rubbed in. The residue is then thoroughly beaten into the cloth so that it will resist wearing.

Head covering (odhani)

Head covering (odhani) India About 1880 Cotton muslin Width 157 cm x Length 279 cm IS.549-1883

Cotton muslin tie-dyed with yellow, red and white spots, boteh pattern and representations of peacocks on a black ground.

Tie-dye is a resist-dyeing technique where individual areas of cloth are bound to protect them from the dye. There is a strong tradition of tie-dye in Rajasthan, although today it is often replaced by less labour-intensive printing methods. This beautiful example has not been ironed and still has its puckered texture, showing where the fabric was tied for dyeing.

Sari (jamdani)

Sari (jamdani) Bangladesh About 1880 Muslin Width 86 cm x Length 335 cm IS.664-1883

Woven muslin jamdani. Boteh pattern in the corners of the red and blue border design.

Jamdani is a weaving technique originating in Bengal in which additional patterned wefts are inserted by small shuttles of plain, coloured, gold or silver threads. They were traditionally woven in pit-looms, using unbleached grey yarn for the warp and bleached white yarn for the weft. Being so light, jamdani was suited to the intense summer heat.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for 7s 6d (37p).

Sari

Sari India About 1880 Silk Width 91 cm x Length 685 cm IS.677-1883

Discharge-printed silk in imitation of tie-dye with small white spots on a blue ground forming a trellis in the centre and broad border of boteh. At this date, this was probably resist-dyed.

'Berhampore silk' , whether raw or manufactured, referred to products from four different local centres which were marketed at Berhampore; it was then a substantial industry. Tie-dyeing and its printed imitations are no longer produced in West Bengal.

Kincob

Kincob India About 1880 Silk brocade Width 71 cm x Length 233 cm IS.786-1883

Kincob, an anglicised term of uncertain origin, is a rich silk fabric with patterns woven in a weft thread of gold and silver-wrapped thread (zari), made by wrapping gold or silver wire around a silk core (kalabuttu zari). Kincob was usually sold by weight. This piece has diagonal stripes (ari-jhari) ornamented alternately with cones and floral design in gold and many colours on a crimson ground; the technique is known as meenakari (enamelling).

Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centre during the Mughal period and still has many fine silk weaving wokshops.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for £4.

Sari

Sari India About 1880 Silk Width 91 cm x Length 1350 cm IS.909-1883

Transparent black silk woven with gold rosettes. Purchased by Purdon Clarke for £6. An identical piece was purchased from the 1867 Paris Exhibition of which a cut-section (Museum no. IS.05280) remains.

Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centre during the Mughal period and still has many fine silk weaving workshops. Black and dark blue fabrics patterned with gold are often used at Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Light.

Dress piece

Dress piece India About 1880 Muslin Width 76 cm x Length 858 cm IS.984-1883

White embroidered muslin. The white on white embroidery known as chikan was done on fine muslin. Although this piece is quite simply embroidered, other pieces use a wider range of more complex stitches. In Bengal, chikan was probably developed for the European market and some designs may have been European inspired. The flimsy material suited fashionable Regency dress styles, but was still popular among Europeans in the late 19th century, probably on account of the climate. Production later moved to Lucknow where it was very popular at the local court.

The coarser modern chikan work is now made mainly for Middle Eastern and home markets. The designs are first printed onto the fabric, usually fine white muslin, with wooden or brass blocks using fugitive colours. The designs are then embroidered with untwisted cotton thread. Sometimes Bengali tussur silk was also used for variation of colour. By tradition, there is a particular discipline as to the type and method of application of the embroidery stitches relating to the fabrics and design used. Between 30 and 40 different types of stitch, including pulled-thread work or jali (a pierced lattice-work window), can be used with some stitches reserved for specialist embroiderers. Some chikan patterns are similar to the woven jamdani cotton of Dacca and may have been developed as an embroidered equivalent to them.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for 12s 10d (65p).

Coverlet (rumal)

Coverlet (rumal) India About 1880 Muslin, silk thread Width 60 cm x Length 63 cm IS.2097-1883

Rumal means handkerchief ('face wiper'), but these embroideries were used to cover gifts and similar objects or as wall hangings. They are 2-sided, embroidered on fine muslin with untwisted coloured silk threads. They have been described as paintings translated into embroidery and were probably influenced by the miniature paintings of the Hindu Pahari of the Punjab Hills. Rumal often depict mythological stories. This example depicts the Rasa-Lila (dance of love), when Krishna danced with the Gopis and each thought that she alone was dancing with him.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for 12s (60p).

Sari

Sari India About 1880-1882 Cotton & silk Width 114 cm x Length 782 cm IS.1702-1883

Sari made of woven cotton with silk warp ikat and supplementary warp patterning in the borders.

Ikat is a type of weaving where the threads are tie-dyed before weaving to create designs in the finished fabric. Burhanpur has an ancient textile weaving tradition which continues today.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for £1 5s (£1.25).

Textile piece

Textile piece India About 1880 Cotton Width 172 cm x Length 264 cm IS.1728-1883

Block printed design includes a repeating floral pattern on a white ground, boteh patterns and men bearing swords. Although described as 'printed chintz', by the 19th century this term was commonly used to describe any block printed cotton textile.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for 6s (35p).

Sari

Sari India About 1880 Cotton Width 106 cm x Length, 734 cm IS.1739-1883

Plain blue woven cotton net with yellow and white borders. The palla has bands woven with yellow silk thread. This is possibly a nilamber sari - the blue is typical of South India.

Textile piece

Textile piece India Early 19th century Cotton Width 96 cm x Length 330 cm IS.1765-1883

Masulipatam (Machilipatam) became renowned for its kalamkari or 'pen work', textiles. Originally chintz textiles were Indian cotton cloth with a pattern applied with a bamboo pen or kalam and dyed with mordants and resists. Later, block printing took over. The surface of the fabric was burnished with a shell or other implement to create a shiny surface; this is usually worn away in surviving examples but this example retains some of its glaze. The design includes scenes of birds, monkeys and other animals, temples, palaces, and Europeans riding, hunting tigers and with birds of prey.

Sari

Sari India About 1880 Cotton Width 116 cm x Length 795 cm IS.1779-1883

Woven cream coloured cotton with gold border incorporating rosettes and boteh motifs. Although Purdon Clarke recorded the source of this sari as Madras (Chennai, Tamil Nadu), the Madras Presidency then covered most of South West India. This type of white and gold sari was, and still is, popular in the area that is modern day Kerala (then known as Travancore).

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for £6.

Head cover (phulkari)

Head cover (phulkari) India About 1880 Cotton, silk Width 137 cm x Length 213 cm IS.1842-1883

Rectangular cotton head-cover made up of two panels, embroidered with floss silk in a geometric design, using satin stitch and surface darning stitch. The borders are also decorated with small, circular mirrors.

Phulkhari ('flower work') was produced in northern India, particularly in the Punjab, where Purdon Clarke acquired his examples. Designs are embroidered onto evenly woven cotton cloth (khadi, khaddar) usually dyed terracotta red or indigo blue. Narrow strips of cloth are often joined together to make the whole piece. Untwisted soft floss silk (heer, pat) is used, mostly yellow and white, which reflects the light, lending a lustrous appearance to the finished piece. There are different types of phulkari work. Some leave parts of the cloth empty as part of the design. Hindu pieces usually include images of figures and animals; Muslim and Sikh work have geometric designs. In the type known as bagh ('garden', 'ground'), almost the whole surface of the cloth is covered with patterns done in surface darning stitch, as in this example. Double running stitch was used for other designs and a variety of additional stitch types added. Phulkhari was made for everyday clothes and especially for ceremonial wear at weddings and festivals. Each type has a special name such as Bagh, Chope, Sainchi, Darshan Dar, Vari da Bagh, Shishadar or Sheesh Bagh which incorporated mirror work.

Dress piece

Dress piece India About 1880 Muslin IS.1917-1883

Section of gold thread and beetle wing embroidery on black muslin net made at the Hobart School for Mussulman Girls in Madras (Chennai). One part of a 'dress in 4 pieces' purchased by Purdon Clarke for £5.

Gold embroidery (zardozi) used different forms of metal thread, shaped pieces of metal foil and hammered metal spangles (chumkis), as well as pieces of the iridescent wing-cases (elytra) of the beetle Sternocera aequisignata (family Buprestidae, Jewel Beetles). Many of these beetle wing cases were collected in Burma (Myanmar) and sold on through Kolkata (Calcutta). Valued for their hardness and permanence of colour, their reflective qualities were sometimes thought to ward off evil spirits. Beetle wings were used by both indigenous groups such as the Naga of north-east India and in sumptuous Mughal court dress. This piece may have been a sample made for the export trade. It was part of a consignment of 37 cases and packages shipped from Bombay by Henry King & Co on the SS Darlington in June 1882 and would probably have been sent by railway from Madras.

Beetle wing embroidery became fashionable in Europe in the 19th century. It was usually done in India, but sometimes in Europe using imported cut and pierced sections of beetle wing. It was incorporated in spectacular dresses worn by women who had lived in India like Lady Russell and Lady Curzon, wife of the Viceroy, whose dress made by the couturier Worth in Paris for the 1902 Delhi Durbar (now in Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire), incorporated Indian beetle wing embroidery. John Singer Sargent's (1889) portrait of the actress Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth (now in Tate Britain) portrayed her in a beetle wing embroidered gown designed by Alice Comyns Carr. It was made in England using pieces of Indian beetle wing (now at Smallhythe Place, Kent).

Shawl

Shawl India 19th century Wool Width 129 cm x Length 281 cm IS.2081a-1883

Cream coloured woven shawl with large floral paisley boteh design in border.

Shawls were hand-woven in Kashmir from the 11th century. They developed into the form we recognise today during the 15th and 16th centuries. The fine loom-woven shawls were made under Mughal patronage and were worn at court or presented as prestigious gifts. Large or complex shawls took many months to complete. The best quality shawls were made from the underbelly fleece of the wild central Asian goat; second grade wool, pashmina, came from domesticated goats. Many shawls were brought back to Europe and they became a popular fashion item in the 18th and 19th centuries. They were imitated, notably in Norwich, Paisley and France, using different types of yarn and increasingly mnechanised processes such as the Jacquard loom. Western demand also affected Kashmiri production and by the time this shawl was made the classic boteh design, derived from flowering plants, had become styulised.

By the late 19th century shawls had gone out of fashion and many Kashmiri weavers lost their livelihoods. Purdon Clarke purchased over 140 examples of Kashmir shawls for the Museum. Not all survive; some are only fragments.

Blouse piece

Blouse piece India About 1880 Silk Width 73 cm x Length 150 cm IS.2050-1883

Uncut and shaped piece for a girl's blouse (jubla). Coloured embroidery on white silk depicting coloured birds among foliage.

Probably made for Parsis in Bombay (Mumbai), the descendants of Zoroastrians who emigrated to the Indian subcontinent from Iran in the 8th century. A substantial Parsi community developed in Mumbai, successful in business and maintaining distinctive traditions including dress. Parsi-owned shipping companies traded with China and merchants returned with Chinese artefacts including highly prized embroidered textiles (chinai) and would take out orders from India. Chinese embroiderers also settled in Surat, a port city in Gujarat. A distinctive type of elaborately embroidered sari (gara) also developed, which is still in production today. Chinai is usually done with white silks on a coloured silk ground. This example uses satin stitch. The front is much faded, probably from being on display, but vivid colours remain on the back.

Woman's skirt

Woman's skirt India About 1880 Cotton, wool Width 73 cm x Length 673 cm IS.2113-1883

Red and white checked cotton embroidered with green, yellow, white and purple wool. The skirt is ornamented with a few small pieces of mirror. It had a plaited wool girdle with two tassels. This skirt is made of a heavy cotton weave resembling wool and consists of two lengths joined together horizontally; the waistband has been unpicked. The piece indicates Purdon Clarke's interest in collecting rural dress as well as more sophisticated textiles.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for 16s (85p).

Textile piece

Textile piece India About 1880 Cotton, wool Width 43 cm x Length 152 cm IS.2126-1883

Gold tissue, embroidered with tinsel. Flower pattern and border made of woven strips of silver and cotton wefts with applied metal strips.

This type of embroidery, known as zardozi or 'gold embroidery', used different forms of metal thread, shaped pieces of metal foil and hammered coloured metal spangles (chumkis). This example has green spangles which resemble pieces of beetle wing. It is very similar to the example purchased from the 1851 Exhibition (1851 No 4. IS. 753-1852). It is described in the 1883 Inventory as 'Tookdy', a type of fabric or garment from Hyderabad.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for £3 10s (£3.50).

Mashru

Mashru India About 1880-1881 Cotton, silk Width 81 cm x Length 462 cm IS.2134-1883

Satin weave textile with warp ikat design.

Mashru or 'permitted' cloth was originally woven for Muslim men who were prohibited from wearing pure silk. It is a satin weave fabric with a combination of cotton weft and silk warp; the cotton weft being the lower layer in contact with the skin, while the silk warp shows on the surface. This example includes ikat, a type of weaving where the threads are tie-dyed before weaving to create designs in the finished fabric. Hyderabad was one of several centres were mashru was woven; much of it was exported to the Middle East, but ikat mashru is frequently seen in Company School paintings from South India and was used locally for garments.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for £1 8s (£1.40).

Skirt

Skirt India About 1880 Silk Width 86.5 cm x Length 210 cm IS.2304-1883

Cream silk satin embroidered in chain stitch with red and blue rosettes in silk thread and mirror work.

Shisha ('glass') or mirror work, is common in the northern desert states of India. It may have evolved from naturally occurring mica but from the 19th century onwards, specially made pieces of mirrored glass were used. Mirrored glass was blown by hand and then cut into different shapes, although nowadays a more uniform and thicker factory-made glass is often used. A variety of stitches is used to attach the mirror pieces to the fabric.

Kutch is a particularly rich area for embroidery; this piece would have been made by a professional embroiderer for the Bansali community. The border design of flowers, leaves and birds, is done in the chain stitch characteristic of Kutch embroidery.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for £1 4s (£1.20).

Dress

Dress India About 1880 Silk Width 101 cm x Length 111 cm IS.2327-1883

Silk satin embroidered with silk thread and mirror work.

Shisha (glass) or mirror work, is common in the northern desert states of India. It may have evolved from naturally occurring mica but from the 19th century onwards, specially made pieces of mirrored glass were used. Mirrored glass was blown by hand and then cut into different shapes, although nowadays a more uniform and thicker factory-made glass is often used. A variety of stitches is used to attach the mirror pieces to the fabric.

Kutch is a particularly rich area for embroidery; this piece is probably from the Muslim Memon or merchant community in Banni, Kutch. This garment would have been made by a professional embroider working in chain stitch, buttonhole stitch and interlacing stitch. It would have been worn over trousers with matching cuffs.

Sari

Sari India About 1880 Silk satin Width 114 cm x Length 535 cm IS.2352-1883

Red satin, embroidered in coloured floss silks with narrow side borders of running floral ornament and broad end borders in bands of flowering sprays and foliate ornament.

Surat was the most important trading centre in Western India during the Mughal period and a major trading centre for the East India Company until the development of Bombay (Mumbai). Today it is a major centre for the industrial production of textiles.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for £7 10s (£7.50).

Sample from turban

Sample from turban India mid-19th century Cotton Sample from original piece Width 25 cm x Length 12.8 m; Weight 198 gm Series 1, Vol 1, No 20

Red cotton printed with white flowers and a border incorporating a blue floral design.

Forbes Watson comments: 'Cotton: colours laid on with Stamp. Padding is used to make up this turban.' Turbans are still widely worn in Rajasthan and come in a great variety of fabrics and designs; they are tied in distinctive local styles.

Bharatpur was the capital of a princely state near Agra from the early 18th century until 1947.

Offcuts

Offcuts India mid-19th century Cotton Series 1, No 20, Offcuts

Offcuts from Series 1, No 20. Remnants of the samples taken by Forbes Watson from the printed cotton turban (Series 1, No 20).

Many other remnants in the collection illustrate Forbes Watson's methods. At the time, the desire to circulate objects widely meant that cutting things up was not an uncommon practice.

Sample from turban

Sample from turban India mid-19th century Cotton Sample from original piece Width 22 cm x Length 22.2 m; Weight 226 gm Series 1, Vol 1, No 27

Sample of tie-dyed (bandhani) cotton turban.

Forbes Watson noted the 'fine texture' of the fabric. The 'ornamental end to show' has gold thread woven into it. The zig-zag design, called lahariya (wavy) was popular and was also produced in a striped zig-zag form.

Tie-dye is a resist-dyeing technique where individual areas of cloth are bound to protect them from the dye. There is a strong tradition of tie-dye in Rajasthan, although today it is often replaced by less labour-intensive printing methods. Tie-dyed turbans often faded after about a year and colours were re-dyed as this would be cheaper than buying a new garment for a special occasion. Turbans were still widely worn in Rajasthan and come in a great variety of fabrics and designs; they are tied in distinctive local styles.

Sample from lungi

Sample from lungi Pakistan mid-19th century Cotton, silk Sample from original piece Width 356 cm x Length 1300 cm; Weight 609 gm Series 1, Vol 3, No 96

Sample of woven cotton 'loongi' (lungi) with silk borders.

A lungi is a length of cloth tied around the waist, mostly worn by men in India and Pakistan. Forbes Watson described this as a 'favourite pattern', probably to indicate its market potential to British manufacturers.

Purchased for 12s (60p).

Sample from bedcover

Sample from bedcover India mid-19th century Cotton Sample from original piece Width 137 cm x Length 440 m; Weight 880 gm Series 1, Vol 4, No 158

Red and white woven cotton. Forbes Watson may have thought that this would be the kind of thing that British textile manufacturers could reproduce, although the design is more complex than first appears, with a repeating pattern of diamonds within diamonds.

Purchased for 15s (75p).

Sample from sari

Sample from sari India mid-19th century Cotton Sample from original piece Width 100 cm x Length 660; Weight 680 gm Series 1, Vol 5, No 181

Woven cotton, blue and green check with yellow borders. Labels on this sample indicate 'opposite end usually next to body' and 'principal end to show'. These were presumably to help British manufacturers understand exactly how the garment would be worn.

The checked, rather than floral, ground is typical of South Indian saris and the contrasting 'temple' design is often a typical way of attaching a silk border to a cotton ground, although this example is all cotton.

Purchased for 5s 3d (26p).

Sample from sari

Sample from sari India mid-19th century Cotton Sample from original piece Width 110 cm x Length 754 cm; Weight 620 gm Series 1, Vol 5, No 196

Block printed cotton in red and black. The design of this sari, printed onto fairly coarse cotton, incorporates many traditional motifs more often associated with North Indian textiles, such as flowering plants, stylised floral and geometric borders and sprays of flowers in the form of a large boteh (flower pattern that evolved into a pine cone or mango shape, also known as Paisley pattern).

Purchased for 3s (16p).

Sample from dress

Sample from dress Bangladesh mid-19th century Cotton muslin Sample from original piece Width 86 cm x Length 1747; Weight 184 gm Series 1, Vol 7, No 243

From ancient times, Dhaka was renowned for its production of hand woven muslin, made from locally grown cotton. The finest quality muslins were given poetic names such as 'webs of woven air'; one metre could weigh as little as 10 gm.
This example is described by Forbes Watson as 'evening dew' (shabnam is one name for this).

The widely admired Dhaka muslins were exported to Imperial Rome and ancient Egypt and bought by the Mughal nobility and exported to Europe. The eventual loss of these markets, combined with cheaper imitation muslin exported from British textile mills in the 19th century, eventually caused the collapse of the Bengali industry.

A contemporary of Forbes Watson expressed the widespread admiration for Indian muslins, 'With all our machinery and wondrous appliances, we have hitherto been unable to produce a fabric which for fineness or utility can equal the 'woven air' of Dacca - the product of arrangements which appear rude and primitive, but which in reality are admirable adapted for their purpose'. The Indian weavers had developed a precise understanding of how to manipulate the yarn, which was made from short-fibre Indian cotton, in contrast to the long staple American Sea Island cotton used in English mills and the optimum conditions for spinning, involving the time of day, temperature and humidity. Weaving was usually done before the morning dew evaporated; the very finest muslins could only be made during the rainy season.

Purchased for £3 4s.

Muslin sample

Muslin sample India mid-19th century Cotton muslin Sample piece from original Width 86 cm, Length 914 cm; Weight: 482 gm Series 1, Vol 7, No 255

Chikan embroidered muslin. This example is described by Forbes Watson as 'a very fine example of embroidery ? in diagonal stripes of flowers'. The white on white embroidery known as chikan was done on fine muslin.

In Bengal, chikan was probably developed for the European market and some designs may have been European inspired. The flimsy material suited fashionable Regency dress styles, but was still popular among Europeans in the late 19th century, probably on account of the climate. Production later moved to Lucknow where it was very popular at the local court.

The coarser modern chikan work is now made mainly for Middle Eastern and home markets. The designs are first printed onto the fabric, usually fine white muslin, with wooden or brass blocks using fugitive colours. The designs are then embroidered with untwisted cotton thread. Sometimes Bengali tussur silk was also used for variation of colour. By tradition, there is a particular discipline as to the type and method of application of the embroidery stitches relating to the fabrics and design used. Between 30 and 40 different types of stitch, including pulled-thread work or jali (meaning a pierced latticework window), can be used. Some stitches are reserved for specialist embroiderers. Some chikan patterns are similar to the woven jamdani cotton of Dacca and may have been developed as an embroidered equivalent to them.

Purchased for £4.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silk Sample piece from original Width 67 cm x Length 266 cm; Weight 163 gm Series 1, Vol 7, No 263

Gold and red striped tissue with silk warp. To make the metal thread the wire is flattened and wrapped around a silk core to become kasab or kalabattu. The metal is flattened so it can spiral around the core. Silk thread and metal, wrapped around a silk core have been used in the warp. The warp is a silk thread. This kind of fabric was used for garments and possibly furnishing; it was highly prized in Deccan, particularly in Hyderabad.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silver, silk, spangles & beetle wings Sample piece from original Width 50 cm x Length 238 cm Series 1, Vol 7, No 270

Woven gold tissue with beetle wing embroidery. This type of embroidery known as zardozi or 'gold embroidery', used different forms of metal thread, shaped pieces of metal foil and hammered metal spangles (chumkis), as well as pieces of the iridescent wing-cases (elytra) of the beetle Sternocera aequisignata (family Buprestidae, Jewel Beetles). Many of these beetle wing cases were collected in Burma (Myanmar) and sold on through Calcutta (Kolkata). Valued for their hardness and permanence of colour, their reflective qualities were sometimes thought to ward off evil spirits. Beetle wings were used by both indigenous groups such as the Naga of north-east India and in sumptuous Mughal court dress.

Beetle wing embroidery became fashionable in Europe in the 19th century. It was usually done in India, but sometimes in Europe, using imported cut and pierced sections of beetle wing.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Cotton, spangles & beetle wings Sample piece from original Width 99 cm x Length 878 cm; Weight 765 gm Series 1, Vol 7, No 276

Red muslin embroidered with metal foil spangles. Forbes Watson noted that this beautiful fabric was intended for 'scarves'. Gold embroidery (zardozi) used different forms of metal thread, shaped pieces of metal foil and hammered metal spangles (chumkis). This example has green spangles which resemble pieces beetle wing.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Cotton, spangles & metal thread Sample piece from original Width 120 cm x Length 160 cm; Weight 340 gm Series 1, Vol 7, No 277a

White muslin embroidered with silver thread and coloured metal spangles. Gold embroidery (zardozi) like this used different forms of metal thread, shaped pieces of metal foil and hammered metal spangles (chumkis). This example has green spangles which resemble pieces of beetle wing.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Cotton Sample piece from original Width 57 cm x Length 1090 cm; Weight 770 gm Series 1, Vol 8, No 314

Woven cotton. Forbes Watson suggests that the plaid design is 'imitation English' and possibly intended for the export market to Britain. There was a long tradition of checked fabric in South India, but in this area plain weaves were the standard.

Textile sample

Textile sample Pakistan mid-19th century Cotton Sample piece from original Width 81 cm x Length 450 cm; Weight 520 gm Series 1, Vol 8, No 315

Block printed cotton; black and white design on red ground. Described by Forbes Watson as intended for 'peshgeer' - 'petticoats of the poorer classes', peshgir were worn by Sindh women over trousers. Watson also notes that the material was 'made of English thread'; there were substantial exports of both cotton yarn and piece goods from Britain to India from the early 19th century onwards.

Purchased for 4s (20p).

Neckerchief

Neckerchief India mid-19th century Cotton Sample piece from original Width 91 cm x Length 91 cm; Weight 99 gm Series 1, Vol 10, No 365

Woven cotton 'neckerchief to cover head and shoulders'. Forbes Watson noted that the surface glaze was 'obtained by chank sheel (a species of conch) rubbed over the fabric'. This type of fabric came to be known as Madras handkerchiefs. Eight pieces were usually woven together and then cut up into squares.

Purchased for 3d.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Cotton Sample piece from original Width 95 cm x Length 680 cm; Weight 793 gm Series 1, Vol 10, No 372

Printed cotton described by Forbes Watson as 'piece goods, used for petticoats'. The boteh (flower pattern that evolved into a pine cone or mango shape; also known as Paisley pattern) is usually associated with North India, especially Kashmir, rather than the South.

Purchased for just over 13s (15.5p).

Bed covering

Bed covering India mid-19th century Cotton Sample piece from original Width 120 cm x Length 120 cm; Weight 652 gm Series 1, Vol 12, No 475

Cover or 'small glazed Palampore or bed covering'; printed cotton cover described as chintz. Originally chintz was Indian cotton cloth with a pattern applied with a bamboo pen or kalam and by dyeing with mordants and resists. Later block printing was introduced and eventually took over, as with this example. The surface of the fabric was burnished with a shell or other implement to create a shiny surface.

Machilipatnam on the east or Coromandel coast of India, was the export centre for locally produced chintzes which became highly fashionable in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. Pieces with this type of design were often exported to iran where local imitations were also made.

Purchased for 70p for 4 or 17.5p each.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Cotton, silk Sample piece from original Width 92 cm x Length 457 cm; Weight 482 gm Series 1, Vol 13, No 496

Silk and cotton satin weave known as 'Mushroo' (Mashru) with vertical coloured and floral stripes.

Mashru or 'permitted' cloth was originally woven for Muslim men who were prohibited from wearing pure silk. It is a satin weave fabric with a combination of cotton weft and silk warp; the cotton weft being the lower layer in contact with the skin, while the silk warp shows on the surface. Mashru was formerly woven in several centres in South India, especially Hyderabad and Trichinopoly (now Tiruchirapalli), Tamil Nadu as well as in Gujarat. It was used both for local dress and for export to the Middle East.

Purchased for 17s (85p).

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Cotton, silk Sample piece from original Width 92 cm x Length 457 cm; Weight 593 gm Series 1, Vol 13, No 498

Silk and cotton satin weave known as 'Mushroo' (Mashru) with vertical coloured stripes alternating with coloured ikat stripes.

Mashru or 'permitted' cloth was originally woven for Muslim men who were prohibited from wearing pure silk. It is a satin weave fabric with a combination of cotton weft and silk warp; the cotton weft being the lower layer in contact with the skin, while the silk warp shows on the surface. Mashru was formerly woven in several centres in South India, especially Hyderabad and Trichinopoly (now Tiruchirapalli), Tamil Nadu as well as in Gujarat. It was used both for local dress and for export to the Middle East. Ikat is made by a process of tie-dyeing the warp threads before weaving. Ikat mashru is frequently seen in Company School paintings from South India and was used locally for garments.

Purchased for 17s (85p).

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silk Sample piece from original Width 77 cm x Length 480 cm; Weight 1.9 kg Series 2, No 403

Woven silk textile known as kincob.

Kincob, an anglicised term of uncertain origin, is a rich silk fabric with patterns woven in a weft thread of gold and silver-wrapped thread (zari), made by wrapping gold or silver wire around a silk core (kalabuttu zari). Kincob was usually sold by weight, the precious metal content accounted for the high price. Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centure during the Mughal period. The elaborate type of pattern shown here is called meenakari (enamelling).

The fabric cost about £6 per metre.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silk Sample piece from original Width 76 cm x Length 460 cm; Weight 1.6 kg Series 2, No 407

Woven silk textile known as kincob.

Kincob, an anglicised term of uncertain origin, is a rich silk fabric with patterns woven in a weft thread of gold and silver-wrapped thread (zari), made by wrapping gold or silver wire around a silk core (kalabuttu zari). Kincob was usually sold by weight, the precious metal content accounted for the high price. Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centure during the Mughal period. The elaborate type of pattern shown here is called meenakari (enamelling).

The fabric cost about £4.50 per metre.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silk Series 2, No 427

Woven silk textile known as kincob.

Kincob, an anglicised term of uncertain origin, is a rich silk fabric with patterns woven in a weft thread of gold and silver-wrapped thread (zari), made by wrapping gold or silver wire around a silk core (kalabuttu zari). Kincob was usually sold by weight. This example, with gold zari trailing flowers woven between a silver zig-zag pattern, was made in Ahmedabad, an important weaving centre in Gujarat.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silk Sample piece from original Width 77 cm x Length 120 cm; Weight 170 gm Series 2, No 512

Woven silk brocade, pink flowers on red and yellow striped purple ground. Fabric like this uses silk alone to create a luxurious fabric. Aurangabad was an important centre for several types of silk weaving. The repeating floral motif is typical of the Mughal and Deccani style used in all media including textiles; this type of design was much admired by British design reformers for its simplicity and restraint.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silk Sample piece from original Width 68 cm x Length 270 cm; Weight 113 gm Series 2, No 541

Woven silk, coloured check pattern with fine zig-zag design. Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centre during the Mughal period and still has many fine silk weaving workshops.

Textile sample

Textile sample Tibet mid-19th century Wool Sample piece from original Width 35 cm x Length 460 cm; Weight 595 gm Series 2, No 1103

Woven wool, white with red horizontal design.

Forbes Watson dedicated three volumes in each series to woollen fabrics; he may have thought that this was potentially a good market for British manufacturers.

Sari

Sari India About 1850 Silk Width 119 cm x Length 640 cm 767-1852

Crimson silk and gold-wrapped thread. Described as Pethumbur Kirmez in 1852 Inventory. The patterned, loose end (pallu) of this sari incorporates flower motifs, a floral meander, chevron (khajuri) and floral designs.

Silk has long been the most prized fabric in India for both secular and ritual use; it continues to be a popular and widely used material. Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, is still one of the major silk weaving centres in India.

Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for £22.

Sari

Sari India About 1850 Silk Width 160 cm x Length 500 cm 772-1852

Yellow silk with borders of floral scrolls alternating with fine chevrons, woven in red and gold. Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for £16 and described in the 1852 Inventory as 'Pethumbur Zurd' 'worn by men in mourning or at meals'.

Associated with ceremonial rites of India and deemed to be ritually pure, silk has been a highly revered fabric and continues to be a popular and widely used material. Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centre during the Mughal period.

Skirt piece

Skirt piece India mid-19th century Satin silk Width 115 cm x Length 140 cm 791-1852

Part of an un-sewn skirt. Yellow satin woven silk embroidered in chain stitch with silk thread. The professional male embroiderers from the Mochi (shoemaker) community in Kutch developed this embroidery technique by using an ari (hook) as well as a needle, adapting a method used on leather. The designs were first outlined on the fabric through a pricked paper pattern. Embroideries such as this were made for and sold to wealthy Indian patrons.

Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition.

Scarf or sash (patka)

Scarf or sash (patka) India About 1850 Cotton Width 106 cm x Length 289 cm 815-1852

Block printed cotton. The decorative ends of the scarf (pallau) show flowering plants; the designs were either stamped or stencilled. Although described as ?printed chintz?, by the 19th century this term was commonly used to describe any block printed cotton textile. Chintz actually involving many processes, involving drawing and dyeing rather than printing.

Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for 15s 8d (80p). Many similar pieces were purchased from the Exhibition.

Textile piece

Textile piece India About 1850 Cotton Width 1000 cm x 5800 cm 823-1852

Block printed with red flowers on a white ground.

Although described as 'printed chintz', by the 19th century this term was commonly used to describe any block printed cotton textile. Chintz actually involved many processes, involving drawing and dyeing rather than printing. This type of flower design was associated with the Mughals, but was also very popular in Rajasthan. This example is typical of work from Sanganer, near Jaipur, Rajasthan, where block printing was encouraged by the patronage of the Jaipur royal family. Printed cottons were also exported by the East India Company. Block printing is still practised in Sanganer, using traditional seasoned teak wood blocks known as chhapas or buntis.

Purchased from the 1851 Exhibition for 19s (95p).

Textile piece

Textile piece Pakistan About 1880 Muslin Width 119 cm x Length 195 cm IS.411-1883

Dark blue muslin printed in bands of silver and gold with borders of sprigs and running floral designs and flowers.

The Punjab is known for printing with gum (roghan) which sometimes has a metallic element. The design is stamped onto the fabric, usually cotton, in gum. A layer of gold or silver foil (either real gold or silver leaf or ground mica) is laid on top and rubbed in. The residue is then thoroughly beaten into the cloth so that it will resist wearing.

Kincob

Kincob India About 1880 Silk brocade Width 71 cm x Length 233 cm IS.786-1883

Kincob, an anglicised term of uncertain origin, is a rich silk fabric with patterns woven in a weft thread of gold and silver-wrapped thread (zari), made by wrapping gold or silver wire around a silk core (kalabuttu zari). Kincob was usually sold by weight. This piece has diagonal stripes (ari-jhari) ornamented alternately with cones and floral design in gold and many colours on a crimson ground; the technique is known as meenakari (enamelling).

Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centre during the Mughal period and still has many fine silk weaving wokshops.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for £4.

Dress piece

Dress piece India About 1880 Muslin Width 76 cm x Length 858 cm IS.984-1883

White embroidered muslin. The white on white embroidery known as chikan was done on fine muslin. Although this piece is quite simply embroidered, other pieces use a wider range of more complex stitches. In Bengal, chikan was probably developed for the European market and some designs may have been European inspired. The flimsy material suited fashionable Regency dress styles, but was still popular among Europeans in the late 19th century, probably on account of the climate. Production later moved to Lucknow where it was very popular at the local court.

The coarser modern chikan work is now made mainly for Middle Eastern and home markets. The designs are first printed onto the fabric, usually fine white muslin, with wooden or brass blocks using fugitive colours. The designs are then embroidered with untwisted cotton thread. Sometimes Bengali tussur silk was also used for variation of colour. By tradition, there is a particular discipline as to the type and method of application of the embroidery stitches relating to the fabrics and design used. Between 30 and 40 different types of stitch, including pulled-thread work or jali (a pierced lattice-work window), can be used with some stitches reserved for specialist embroiderers. Some chikan patterns are similar to the woven jamdani cotton of Dacca and may have been developed as an embroidered equivalent to them. Purchased by Purdon Clarke for 12s 10d (65p).

Sari

Sari India About 1880-1882 Cotton & silk Width 114 cm x Length 782 cm IS.1702-1883

Sari made of woven cotton with silk warp ikat and supplementary warp patterning in the borders.

Ikat is a type of weaving where the threads are tie-dyed before weaving to create designs in the finished fabric. Burhanpur has an ancient textile weaving tradition which continues today.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for £1 5s (£1.25).

Shawl

Shawl India 19th century Wood Width 129 cm x Length 281 cm IS.2081a-1883

Cream coloured woven shawl with large floral paisley boteh design in border.

Shawls were hand-woven in Kashmir frm the 11th century. They developed into the form we recognise today during the 15th and 16th centuries. The fine loom-woven shawls were made under Mughal patronage and were worn at court or presented as prestigious gifts. Large or complex shawls took many months to complete. The best quality shawls were made from the underbelly fleece of the wild central Asian goat; second grade wool, pashmina, came from domesticated goats. Many shawls were brought back to Europe and they became a popular fashion item in the 18th and 19th centuries. They were imitated, notably in Norwich, Paisley and France, using different types of yarn and increasingly mechanised processes such as the Jacquard loom. Western demand also affected Kashmiri production and by the time this shawl was made the classic boteh design, derived from flowering plants, had become stylised.

By the late 19th century shawls had gone out of fashion and many Kashmiri weavers lost their livelihoods. Purdon Clarke purchased over 140 examples of Kashmir shawls for the Museum. Not all survive; some are only fragments.

Blouse piece

Blouse piece India About 1880 Silk Width 73 cm x Length 150 cm IS.2050-1883

Uncut and shaped piece for a girl's blouse (jubla). Coloured embroidery on white silk depicting coloured birds among foliage.

Probably made for Parsis in Bombay (Mumbai), the descendants of Zoroastrians who emigrated to the Indian subcontinent from Iran in the 8th century. A substantial Parsi community developed in Mumbai, successful in business and maintaining distinctive traditions including dress. Parsi-owned shipping companies traded with China and merchants returned with Chinese artefacts including highly prized embroidered textiles (chinai) and would take out orders from India. Chinese embroiderers also settled in Surat, a port city in Gujarat. A distinctive type of elaborately embroidered sari (gara) also developed, which is still in production today. Chinai is usually done with white silks on a coloured silk ground. This example uses satin stitch. The front is much faded, probably from being on display, but vivid colours remain on the back.

Mashru

Mashru India About 1880-1881 Cotton & silk Width 81 cm x Length 462 cm IS.2134-1883

Satin weave textile with warp ikat design.

Mashru or 'permitted' cloth was originally woven for Muslim men who were prohibited from wearing pure silk. It is a satin weave fabric with a combination of cotton weft and silk warp; the cotton weft being the lower layer in contact with the skin, while the silk warp shows on the surface. This example includes ikat, a type of weaving where the threads are tie-dyed before weaving to create designs in the finished fabric. Hyderabad was one of several centres were mashru was woven; much of it was exported to the Middle East, but ikat mashru is frequently seen in Company School paintings from South India and was used locally for garments.

Purchased by Purdon Clarke for £1 8s (£1.40).

Dress

Dress India About 1880 Silk Width 101 cm x Length 111 cm IS.2327-1883

Silk satin embroidered with silk thread and mirror work.

Shisha (glass) or mirror work, is common in the northern desert states of India. It may have evolved from naturally occurring mica but from the 19th century onwards, specially made pieces of mirrored glass were used. Mirrored glass was blown by hand and then cut into different shapes, although nowadays a more uniform and thicker factory-made glass is often used. A variety of stitches is used to attach the mirror pieces to the fabric.

Kutch is a particularly rich area for embroidery; this piece is probably from the Muslim Memon or merchant community in Banni, Kutch. This garment would have been made by a professional embroider working in chain stitch, buttonhole stitch and interlacing stitch. It would have been worn over trousers with matching cuffs.

Sample from turban

Sample from turban India mid-19th century Cotton Sample from original piece Width 25 cm x Length 12.8 cm; Weight 198 gm Series 1, Volume 1, No 20

Red cotton printed with white flowers and a border incorporating a blue floral design.

Forbes Watson comments: 'Cotton: colours laid on with Stamp. Padding is used to make up this turban.' Turbans are still widely worn in Rajasthan and come in a great variety of fabrics and designs; they are tied in distinctive local styles.

Bharatpur was the capital of a princely state near Agra from the early 18th century until 1947.

Sample from turban

Sample from turban India mid-19th century Cotton Sample from original piece Width 22 cm x Length 22.2 m; Weight 226 gm Series 1, Volume 1, No 27

Sample of tie-dyed (bandhani) cotton turban.

Forbes Watson noted the 'fine texture' of the fabric. The 'ornamental end to show' has gold thread woven into it. The zig-zag design, called lahariya (wavy) was popular and was also produced in a striped zig-zag form.

Tie-dye is a resist-dyeing technique where individual areas of cloth are bound to protect them from the dye. There is a strong tradition of tie-dye in Rajasthan, although today it is often replaced by less labour-intensive printing methods. Tie-dyed turbans often faded after about a year and colours were re-dyed as this would be cheaper than buying a new garment for a special occasion.

Turbans were still widely worn in Rajasthan and come in a great variety of fabrics and designs; they are tied in distinctive local styles.

Sample from lungi

Sample from lungi Pakistan mid-19th century Cotton & silk Sample from original piece Width 356 cm x Length 1300 cm; Weight 609 gm Series 1, Volume 3, No 96

Sample of woven cotton 'loongi' (lungi) with silk borders.

A lungi is a length of cloth tied around the waist, mostly worn by men in India and Pakistan. Forbes Watson described this as a 'favourite pattern', probably to indicate its market potential to British manufacturers.

Purchased for 12s (60p).

Sample from bedcover

Sample from bedcover India mid-19th century Cotton Sample from original piece Width 137 cm x Length 440 cm; Weight 880 gm Series 1, Volume 4, No 158

Red and white woven cotton.

Forbes Watson may have thought that this would be the kind of thing that British textile manufacturers could reproduce, although the design is more complex than first appears, with a repeating pattern of diamonds within diamonds.

Purchased for 15s (75p).

Sample from sari

Sample from sari India mid-19th century Cotton Sample from original piece Width 100 cm x Length 660 cm; Weight 680 gm Series 1, Volume 5, No 181

Woven cotton, blue and green check with yellow borders. Labels on this sample indicate 'opposite end usually next to body' and 'principal end to show'. These were presumably to help British manufacturers understand exactly how the garment would be worn.

The checked, rather than floral, ground is typical of South Indian saris and the contrasting 'temple' design is often a typical way of attaching a silk border to a cotton ground, although this example is all cotton.

Purchased for 5s 3d (26p).

Sample from sari

Sample from sari India mid-19th century Cotton Sample from original piece, Width 110 cm x Length 754 cm; Weight 620 gm Series 1, Volume 5, No 196

Block printed cotton in red and black. The design of this sari, printed onto fairly coarse cotton, incorporates many traditional motifs more often associated with North Indian textiles, such as flowering plants, stylised floral and geometric borders and sprays of flowers in the form of a large boteh (flower pattern that evolved into a pine cone or mango shape, also known as Paisley pattern).

Purchased for 3s (16p).

Sample from dress

Sample from dress Bangladesh mid-19th century Cotton & muslin Sample piece from original, Width 86 cm x Length 1747 cm; Weight 184 gm Series 1, Volume 7, No 243

From ancient times, Dhaka was renowned for its production of hand woven muslin, made from locally grown cotton. The finest quality muslins were given poetic names such as 'webs of woven air'; one metre could weigh as little as 10 gm. This example is described by Forbes Watson as 'evening dew' (shabnam is one name for this).

The widely admired Dhaka muslins were exported to Imperial Rome and ancient Egypt and bought by the Mughal nobility and exported to Europe. The eventual loss of these markets, combined with cheaper imitation muslin exported from British textile mills in the 19th century, eventually caused the collapse of the Bengali industry.

A contemporary of Forbes Watson expressed the widespread admiration for Indian muslins, 'With all our machinery and wondrous appliances, we have hitherto been unable to produce a fabric which for fineness or utility can equal the 'woven air' of Dacca - the product of arrangements which appear rude and primitive, but which in reality are admirable adapted for their purpose'. The Indian weavers had developed a precise understanding of how to manipulate the yarn, which was made from short-fibre Indian cotton, in contrast to the long staple American Sea Island cotton used in English mills and the optimum conditions for spinning, involving the time of day, temperature and humidity. Weaving was usually done before the morning dew evaporated; the very finest muslins could only be made during the rainy season.

Purchased for £3 4s.

Muslin sample

Muslin sample Bangladesh mid-19th century Cotton muslin Sample piece from original, Width 86 cm x Length 914 cm; Weight 482 gm Series 1, Volume 7, No 255

Chikan embroidered muslin. This example is described by Forbes Watson as 'a very fine example of embroidery ? in diagonal stripes of flowers'. The white on white embroidery known as chikan was done on fine muslin.

In Bengal, chikan was probably developed for the European market and some designs may have been European inspired. The flimsy material suited fashionable Regency dress styles, but was still popular among Europeans in the late 19th century, probably on account of the climate. Production later moved to Lucknow where it was very popular at the local court.

The coarser modern chikan work is now made mainly for Middle Eastern and home markets. The designs are first printed onto the fabric, usually fine white muslin, with wooden or brass blocks using fugitive colours. The designs are then embroidered with untwisted cotton thread. Sometimes Bengali tussur silk was also used for variation of colour. By tradition, there is a particular discipline as to the type and method of application of the embroidery stitches relating to the fabrics and design used. Between 30 and 40 different types of stitch, including pulled-thread work or jali (meaning a pierced latticework window), can be used. Some stitches are reserved for specialist embroiderers. Some chikan patterns are similar to the woven jamdani cotton of Dacca and may have been developed as an embroidered equivalent to them.

Purchased for £4.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silk Sample piece from original, Width 67 cm x Length 266 cm; Weight 163 gm Series 1, Volume 7, No 263

Gold and red striped tissue with silk warp. To make the metal thread the wire is flattened and wrapped around a silk core to become kasab or kalabattu. The metal is flattened so it can spiral around the core. Silk thread and metal, wrapped around a silk core have been used in the warp. The warp is a silk thread. This kind of fabric was used for garments and possibly furnishing; it was highly prized in Deccan, particularly in Hyderabad.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silver, silk, spangles & beetle wings Sample piece from original, Width 50 cm x Length 238 cm Series 1, Volume 7, No 270

Woven gold tissue with beetle wing embroidery. This type of embroidery known as zardozi or 'gold embroidery', used different forms of metal thread, shaped pieces of metal foil and hammered metal spangles (chumkis), as well as pieces of the iridescent wing-cases (elytra) of the beetle Sternocera aequisignata (family Buprestidae, Jewel Beetles). Many of these beetle wing cases were collected in Burma (Myanmar) and sold on through Calcutta (Kolkata). Valued for their hardness and permanence of colour, their reflective qualities were sometimes thought to ward off evil spirits. Beetle wings were used by both indigenous groups such as the Naga of north-east India and in sumptuous Mughal court dress.

Beetle wing embroidery became fashionable in Europe in the 19th century. It was usually done in India, but sometimes in Europe, using imported cut and pierced sections of beetle wing.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Cotton, spangles & beetle wings Sample piece from original, Width 99 cm x Length 878 cm; Weight 765 gm Series 1, Vol 7, No 276

Red muslin embroidered with metal foil spangles. Forbes Watson noted that this beautiful fabric was intended for 'scarves'. Gold embroidery (zardozi) used different forms of metal thread, shaped pieces of metal foil and hammered metal spangles (chumkis). This example has green spangles which resemble pieces beetle wing.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Cotton, spangles & metal thread Sample piece from original, Width 120 cm x Length 160 cm; Weight 340 gm Series 1, Volume 7, No 277a

White muslin embroidered with silver thread and coloured metal spangles. Gold embroidery (zardozi) like this used different forms of metal thread, shaped pieces of metal foil and hammered metal spangles (chumkis). This example has green spangles which resemble pieces of beetle wing.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Cotton Sample piece from original, Width 57 cm x Length 1090 cm; Weight 770 gm Series 1, Volume 8, No 314

Woven cotton. Forbes Watson suggests that the plaid design is 'imitation English' and possibly intended for the export market to Britain. There was a long tradition of checked fabric in South India, but in this area plain weaves were the standard.

Textile sample

Textile sample Pakistan mid-19th century Cotton Sample piece from original, Width 81 cm x Length 450 cm; Weight 520 gm Series 1, Volume 8, No 315

Block printed cotton; black and white design on red ground. Described by Forbes Watson as intended for 'peshgeer' - 'petticoats of the poorer classes', peshgir were worn by Sindh women over trousers. Watson also notes that the material was 'made of English thread'; there were substantial exports of both cotton yarn and piece goods from Britain to India from the early 19th century onwards.

Purchased for 4s (20p).

Neckerchief

Neckerchief India mid-19th century Cotton Sample piece from original, Width 91 cm x Length 91 cm; Weight 99 gm Series 1, Volume 10, No 365

Woven cotton 'neckerchief to cover head and shoulders'. Forbes Watson noted that the surface glaze was 'obtained by chank sheel (a species of conch) rubbed over the fabric'. This type of fabric came to be known as Madras handkerchiefs. Eight pieces were usually woven together and then cut up into squares.

Purchased for 3d.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Cotton Sample piece from original, Width 95 cm x Length 680 cm; Weight 793 gm Series 1, Volume 10, No 372

Printed cotton described by Forbes Watson as 'piece goods, used for petticoats'. The boteh (flower pattern that evolved into a pine cone or mango shape; also known as Paisley pattern) is usually associated with North India, especially Kashmir, rather than the South.

Purchased for just over 13s (15.5p).

Bed covering

Bed covering India mid-19th century Cotton Sample piece from original, Width 120 cm x Length 120 cm; Weight 652 gm Series 1, Volume 12, No 475

Cover or 'small glazed Palampore or bed covering'; printed cotton cover described as chintz. Originally chintz was Indian cotton cloth with a pattern applied with a bamboo pen or kalam and by dyeing with mordants and resists. Later block printing was introduced and eventually took over, as with this example. The surface of the fabric was burnished with a shell or other implement to create a shiny surface.

Machilipatnam on the east or Coromandel coast of India, was the export centre for locally produced chintzes which became highly fashionable in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. Pieces with this type of design were often exported to Iran where local imitations were also made.

Purchased for 14s (70p) or 3s 6d (35p) each.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Cotton & silk Sample piece from original, Width 92 x Length 457 cm; Weight 482 gm Series 1, Volume 13, No 496

Silk and cotton satin weave known as 'Mushroo' (Mashru) with vertical coloured and floral stripes.

Mashru or 'permitted' cloth was originally woven for Muslim men who were prohibited from wearing pure silk. It is a satin weave fabric with a combination of cotton weft and silk warp; the cotton weft being the lower layer in contact with the skin, while the silk warp shows on the surface. Mashru was formerly woven in several centres in South India, especially Hyderabad and Trichinopoly (now Tiruchirapalli), Tamil Nadu as well as in Gujarat. It was used both for local dress and for export to the Middle East.

Purchased for 17s (85p).

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Cotton & silk Sample piece from original, Width 92 cm x Length 457 cm; Weight 593 gm Series 1, Volume 13, No 498

Silk and cotton satin weave known as 'Mushroo' (Mashru) with vertical coloured stripes alternating with coloured ikat stripes.

Mashru or 'permitted' cloth was originally woven for Muslim men who were prohibited from wearing pure silk. It is a satin weave fabric with a combination of cotton weft and silk warp; the cotton weft being the lower layer in contact with the skin, while the silk warp shows on the surface. Mashru was formerly woven in several centres in South India, especially Hyderabad and Trichinopoly (now Tiruchirapalli), Tamil Nadu as well as in Gujarat. It was used both for local dress and for export to the Middle East. Ikat is made by a process of tie-dyeing the warp threads before weaving. Ikat mashru is frequently seen in Company School paintings from South India and was used locally for garments.

Purchased for 17s (85p).

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silk Sample piece from original, Width 77 cm x Length 480 cm; Weight 1.9 kg Series 2, No 403

Woven silk textile known as kincob.

Kincob, an anglicised term of uncertain origin, is a rich silk fabric with patterns woven in a weft thread of gold and silver-wrapped thread (zari), made by wrapping gold or silver wire around a silk core (kalabuttu zari). Kincob was usually sold by weight, the precious metal content accounted for the high price. Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centure during the Mughal period. The elaborate type of pattern shown here is called meenakari (enamelling).

The fabric cost about £6 per metre.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silk Sample piece from original, Width 76 cm x Length 460 cm; Weight 1.6 kg Series 2, No 407

Woven silk textile known as kincob.

Kincob, an anglicised term of uncertain origin, is a rich silk fabric with patterns woven in a weft thread of gold and silver-wrapped thread (zari), made by wrapping gold or silver wire around a silk core (kalabuttu zari). Kincob was usually sold by weight, the precious metal content accounted for the high price. Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centure during the Mughal period. The elaborate type of pattern shown here is called meenakari (enamelling).

The fabric cost about £4.50 per metre.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silk Sample piece from original Series 2, No 427

Woven silk textile known as kincob.

Kincob, an anglicised term of uncertain origin, is a rich silk fabric with patterns woven in a weft thread of gold and silver-wrapped thread (zari), made by wrapping gold or silver wire around a silk core (kalabuttu zari). Kincob was usually sold by weight. This example, with gold zari trailing flowers woven between a silver zig-zag pattern, was made in Ahmedabad, an important weaving centre in Gujarat.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silk Sample piece from original, Width 77 cm x Length 120 cm; Weight 170 gm Series 2, No 512

Woven silk brocade, pink flowers on red and yellow striped purple ground. Fabric like this uses silk alone to create a luxurious fabric. Aurangabad was an important centre for several types of silk weaving. The repeating floral motif is typical of the Mughal and Deccani style used in all media including textiles; this type of design was much admired by British design reformers for its simplicity and restraint.

Textile sample

Textile sample India mid-19th century Silk Sample piece from original, Width 68 cm x Length 270 cm; Weight 113 gm Series 2, No 541

Woven silk, coloured check pattern with fine zig-zag design. Benares (Varanasi), an important centre of fine weaving from ancient times, developed as a silk weaving centre during the Mughal period and still has many fine silk weaving workshops.

Textile sample

Textile sample Tibet mid-19th century Wool Sample piece from original, Width 35 x Length 460 cm; Weight 595 gm Series 2, No 1103

Woven wool, white with red horizontal design. Forbes Watson dedicated three volumes in each series to woollen fabrics; he may have thought that this was potentially a good market for British manufacturers.