The Art Needlework Pamphlet

 



The above photos show the front and back cover of a publication released by the English Sewing Cotton Company to promote their embroidery and crochet threads. It focuses on products branded Dewhurst, Ardern, Bagley & Wright and Strutt. Given that we know that Bagley & Wright were totally absorbed into the ESCC in the first decade of the 20th century (see previous post), this means that this journal is at least Edwardian, if not late Victorian. 

The contents of the 44 page publication (price 1 penny) are a window into lost sewing products. Here is proof that the Sylko branding once applied to embroidery silk and crochet thread as well as cotton reels. We learn that Ardern were so pleased with their mill's location that they named their threads "Hazel" and "Grove". And we can be deeply disturbed by Bagley & Wright's "Brighteye" logo - well it disturbs me anyway. Those late Victorians were a weird bunch in my opinion.


As well as setting out the different products with technicolour examples of what you might produce with them should you have sufficient time and talent, there are crochet patterns. I will keep on perusing to see if I can glean any more historical information.

If readers would like a look at the full journal, I will list a pdf download in my Etsy shop (sewsylko) for a small amount to cover my costs. Etsy do whack a load of charges on though. Unfortunately,  the sizing of the journal means that it has to be viewed in Landscape which might make it a bit tricky. You will probably need to view it on a laptop or tablet, where the landscape setting can be locked in.

Click here to download from Etsy

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