Fancy Needlework Illustrated

 The magazine 'Fancy Needlework Illustrated' was introduced in around 1906 (the 3rd edition was published in March 1907). It was the official magazine of the Northern School of Art Needlework, Manchester. 

It appears that there were very close ties between the School and the English Sewing Cotton Company. I have an issue of the magazine from 1910 and almost every advertisement is for a member company of the ESCC (see below). Also, for some time the School held an annual competition which received wide publicity in contemporary newspapers. Both the launch of the competition and the winners received coverage, with regional publications being especially proud of local prizewinners. The annual contest consisted of several categories, and the sewing cotton to be used in each category was strictly prescribed  - each prescribed cotton being an ESCC product. Here's  a photo of the 1911 competition entry form:

Ardern's and Dewhurst's are perhaps the most famous names listed - the others are all ESCC companies but would eventually be absorbed and be simply known as English Sewing Ltd. Not only can just these threads be used,  the School would, on receipt of a stamped and addressed postcard, send out the name of a dealer that stocked them. The ESCC push is great! Was this just a lucrative advertising deal, or were the ESCC actually behind the School? This is something I have yet to find out- the history of the School is proving to be elusive.

At any rate, this partnership demonstrates how the newly formed ESCC set about making sure that the combined products of its members were powerfully pushed into the consciousness of English needleworkers.






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