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The journal of design and manufactures
(1851)

[Original papers: Woven fabrics exhibited at the Exhibition of 1851.],   pp. 65-78


Page 77

Woven Fabrics Exhibited at the Exhibition of 1851. 
WOVEN FABRICS FXHIBITD AT THE EXHMITION OF 1851. 
WHIIST our contemporaries on all sides are exerting themselves to repre-
sent the objects of the Exhibition by wood-engravings, it will be our aim
to apply our own peculiar plan of giving specimens of the actual fabrics
themselves to illustrate the several classes of manufactures, susceptible
of 
such a mode of illustration; and we axe happy to be able to make a 
successful beginning thus early even in the present number. At the 
same time we may observe, that the natural anxiety of manufacturers 
to exert themselves to the utmost for this great occasion, and not to be
satisfied with anything but the most perfect performances, has tended to
limit the extent of our present selection. We hope to make it much more 
ample in future numbers. Manufacturers who may wish to avail themselves 
of the opportunity of thus perpetuating specimens of their efforts, after
the 
Exhibition itself shall have passed away, will receive any assistance that
may 
be in our power in meeting their wishes, and we request them to take an early
opportunity of communicating with our publishers, and sending specimens of
the fabrics they desire to be inserted. We do not propose to limit these
to 
ornamental fabrics, but we shall be happy to insert cloths and woven fabrics
of any kind whatever that have any peculiar merit to recommend them, either
in process of manufacture, in the materials used, or in the design. 
We do not pretend at present, before the Exhibition is opened, to make 
any comparison between the present examples and others which are likely to
compete with them, either of British or foreign manufacture; we feel, how-
ever, that we may commend the whole of these specimens for their positive
excellencies. 
The three exhibited by Messrs. Liddiard are chosen from a stock more 
-elect than numerous, prepared to shew not merely all the kinds of printing
for which their house has taken the lead for nearly a century, but also some
novelties in dyeing and colours. The new lavender muslin presents a new 
mineral colour, the production of which is wholly due to the Exhibition,
and 
was the discovery of Mr. Lightfoot, of Boak Works. It is of the same class
as 
the ultramarine blue for which the French obtained deserved success some
seasons back. As a colour it is both new and successful, and likely to be
a 
favourite. 
The brilliant and well-executed butter ly muslin is exhibited to shew an
unusual number of printings in madder work. Upwards of eighteen blocks 
have been employed, and so true and delicate have the fittings and registers
been kept, that it reminds us of the early days of fine chintz printing at
Chel- 
sea, when flowers were actually painted in by hand. The designer has 
evidently gone to nature direct for his models. The studies of the butterflies
are characteristic, and the arrangement of them on the ground is well and
equally distributed. But the greatest tour deforce of Messrs. Liddiard is
the 
madder chintz in fast colours, printed with nineteen blocks on satin cotton
cloth. The difficulties of obtaining so much brilliancy and purity of colouring,
especially in the shades of reds and lilacs on a black ground, every practical
printer will understand, and the worknan's skill in the printing is quite
first-rate. 
Although Messrs. Liddiard, as being connected with Mr. John flargreaves,
one 
of the jury, cannot receive a medal, we thin the worman might. The group-
ings of tis chintz are very        and the designer in this, as in the former
specimen, shews how attentively he has studied nature. This beautiful design
is produced on all kinds of clotbsi, silk and cotton, wool, and wool and
cotton, so that every one, according to the length ofher purse, may possess
a 
dress of it. The colours on the  s        de soic are most brilliant, and
we 
may expect it to be one of the triump   of the English printer in the Exhibi-
tion. We hope to be able to give other illustrations of Messrs. Liddiard's
suc- 
cessin a future number. 
As cheap fabrics for the Indian market, Messrs. Ewing's gay cottoni are 
excellent. The colours in the pine pattern are brilliant and very harnoniously
balanced. We are glad to notice that, although a general          type has


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