George as Prince Regent, about 1810 by Sir Thomas Lawrence
Commemorative print from the era of England's King George IV (GR IIII) (1820-1830)
I've been reading Regency history about the era when King George IV of England was Prince of Wales and then Prince Regent while his father was ill. It's a time of great technological advances in printing cottons, which is how I got started reading about it, but now I am a enthralled with the impressive scale of naughtiness among the aristocracy---gambling, debt, ridiculous spending, promiscuity, etc.
Chintz reproduction from William Booth
The Prince Regent set the tone. He was quite a conspicuous consumer. To see one of his quilted chintz banyans (a sort of bath robe) in the collection of the Royal Pavilion Museum click here:
http://www.virtualmuseum.info/collections/themes/costume_gallery/html/history.html
See a waistcoat with a similar print at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/all/waistcoat/objectview_enlarge.aspx?page=8&sort=0&sortdir=asc&keyword=cotton&fp=6&dd1=0&dd2=0&vw=1&collID=0&OID=80013460&vT=1
To read more about fashionable cotton prints of the time click here:
http://www.demodecouture.com/cotton/
And here are sites where you can buy reproductions of the late 18th century chintzes---prices on a scale with Regency-era extravagance though.
http://www.wmboothdraper.com/Cotton_Prints/Cotton_Prints_Index.htm
http://www.dutchquilts.com/chintz_fabric.html
http://www.texrepro.com/drygoods/34
You can download a lovely catalog featuring some chintz from the Titi Halle/Cora Ginsburg website
http://www.coraginsburg.com/catalogues/2004/costume_textiles_cat2004.pdf
The Prince Regent set the tone. He was quite a conspicuous consumer. To see one of his quilted chintz banyans (a sort of bath robe) in the collection of the Royal Pavilion Museum click here:
http://www.virtualmuseum.info/collections/themes/costume_gallery/html/history.html
See a waistcoat with a similar print at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/all/waistcoat/objectview_enlarge.aspx?page=8&sort=0&sortdir=asc&keyword=cotton&fp=6&dd1=0&dd2=0&vw=1&collID=0&OID=80013460&vT=1
To read more about fashionable cotton prints of the time click here:
http://www.demodecouture.com/cotton/
And here are sites where you can buy reproductions of the late 18th century chintzes---prices on a scale with Regency-era extravagance though.
http://www.wmboothdraper.com/Cotton_Prints/Cotton_Prints_Index.htm
http://www.dutchquilts.com/chintz_fabric.html
http://www.texrepro.com/drygoods/34
You can download a lovely catalog featuring some chintz from the Titi Halle/Cora Ginsburg website
http://www.coraginsburg.com/catalogues/2004/costume_textiles_cat2004.pdf
OH how I want to order a few yards of the fabrics from all these sites!
ReplyDeletebeautiful fabrics.
thanks for sharing the links.
Kathie
Barbara, I have to admit I enjoyed today's entry, grin, I am a real history buff and I could tell you some stories about that period, but you know what goes around comes around and George IV got his as he aged a bit he got very obese, and most people tried to avoid being in his company because he was always begging for money, he spent it quicker than it came in with parties, redecorating homes, and collecting art work.
ReplyDeleteI looovvveee the fabrics in these links! Many resemble the wallpapers I chose when we lived in our big old two story house. History + fabric. No wonder I'm such a huge fan of yours!
ReplyDelete