FLORA black

Repeat 23,5 x 60 cm. Width 145 cm.

Green woman’s jacket, Fornsalen, county museum of Gotland, Visby, inv. nr.24140.
Blue waistcoat Herrborum mannor, Östergötland.
Green bed curtains in the bedroom of Karl XIV Johan, Rosendal castle, Stockholm.
Red dress (remade from interior fabrics?) private collection, Stockholm.
Damask in 8 end satin warp and weft effect.

This damask with bold floral pattern is represented in different colours from several Swedish collections. The same pattern also appear in English and American museums. The width of the fabric is 72 cm, in difference to most European silks, which mostly have a width of ca 50 cm. It is obviously a Chinese production, imported by the Swedish company for far eastern trade  “Svenska Ostindiska Kompaniet” active 1731-1813.  It seems that the pattern was produced during a long time in the second part of the 18th century. The same damask has been used both for men’s and women’s clothing as for furnishing.