Threads of Feeling: The London Foundling Hospital's Textile Tokens, 1740-1770

by John Styles

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What has become recognized as Britain's largest collection of everyday textiles from the mid 18th century, Threads of Feeling illustrates and describes an overview of the textiles. From 1742 to 1760 over 4000 babies were left by their mothers at the Foundling Hospital. Samples were taken of the mother's or baby's garments for identification records. This book sheds a revealing light on the type of clothing worn by ordinary people of the mid 18th century. Threads of Feeling is the museum exhibit catalogue by the curator John Styles who is also the author of The Dress of the People. If you like this book you might consider Hogarth's Children and An Introduction to the Tokens at the Foundling Museum.

Softcover, 72 pp., 7 1/4" × 9 1/2"
$19.95

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Swatches: A Guide to Choosing 21st Century Fabrics for 18th Century Clothing

by Hallie Larkin

This book includes over 90 swatches organized by fiber content and includes excerpts from 18th century sources to help explain how the fabrics were used. Compiled to help reenactors purchase the most appropriate fabrics based on budget, appropriateness, and the persona you have chosen.

Softcover, 35 pp., 11" × 8 1/2"
$40

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Chintz: Indian Textiles for the West

by Rosemary Crill

One difficulty of historical reenacting is understanding printed fabrics. This book discusses the beginning and growth of one type of printed and painted fabric, its trade to the west, how it was made, and what it was used for. The exquisiteness of this book, are the full color plates and details of those plates to illustrate the intricacies of the prints. About 90 full color glossy images of chintz fabrics are pictured all of which are from 1780 and earlier. The text describes the changing tastes from the early 17th century up to the 1780s and points out the plates which best illustrate those changes. A list of further reading is provided for those whose interest is stirred. You may look at some reproduction chintz fabrics on our cotton print page.

Hardcover, 144 pp., 12" × 10"
$55

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Textiles in America 1650-1870

by Florence Montgomery

A dictionary on original documents, prints and paintings, commercial records, American merchants' papers, shopkeepers' advertisements and pattern books with original swatches of cloth.

This is the reprint everyone in reenacting has been waiting for. First published in 1984, it remains the definitive study of Textiles as they were used in early American homes. The book offers an overview of textiles in America, based on years of research that is unmatched in scope.

The late Florence Montgomery was the assistant curator of textiles at the Winterthur Museum.

Hardcover. pp 496; 8" × 10"
117 color and 225 black & white illustrations
$50

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