Dress fabric

This silk is a high quality dress fabric of the period. Its sombre colouring would have made it acceptable for use in half-mourning clothing. When a certain period of time had passed in bereavement, a relaxation of full black mourning was acceptable. The maker of the silk was Carter, Vavaseur & Rix, of Cheapside in the heart of the silk manufacturing area of East London. They were one of many manufacturers of dress silks trading in the mid-19th century. Their entry in the Exhibition of 1851 catalogue lists their products as figured poplin and figured satin dress silks, figured satins, brocaded with many colours, maize moirè antique fabrics and Napoleon blue satins. The latter two descriptions are fashionable rather than technical terms.

This silk was exhibited in Class XIII at the Great Exhibition which represented 'the silk and velvet manufactures of the United Kingdom.... products of luxury'. Seven separate sections of silk were shown at the Exhibition, ranging from yarns, plain and decorated silks, velvets, gauzes and plain and fancy ribbons. Manufacturers were the main exhibitors but works made by individuals were also included. The principal areas of silk production represented were Spitalfields, Macclesfield, Leek, Halifax, Derby, Manchester, Leeds and Coventry.