Whats all this about Calico?

[Gentleman of Fortune]

This discussion was stuck over in Rabble Rousing and I am restarting here (because that is just the kind of guy I am)

The topic was turning to appropriate Calico clothing when Foxe and Montery Jack were writing

Foxe:

On Rackham himself: name me something good he did. OK, he had a taste for calico clothes ("calico" incidentally was used in the 17thC to describe a plain material as well as the patterned cottons - apart from a throw-away remark in Johnson we don't know which type of calico Jack wore - he might have been dressed in plain, undyed, coarse cotton from head to toe

Montery Jack Responded

Found some interesting stuff on calico fabrics at the address below; seems it was always a brightly colored fabric, though not always printed with decorative patterns. By the late 1600s when it started to become all the rage in Europe, it was nearly mandatory that it be bright, vibrant and printed with designs Europeans found attractive. No mention of it ever being plain and dull.

Check this out and let me know what you think: This is the guy making all my buccaneer stuff for the mostpart.

calicojacks.freehomepage.com

GOF

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Montery Jack

calicojacks.freehomepage.com has some really interesting things. My guess is that their main focus is on F&I, Rev war and Rondesvouz.

I have contacted them last summer and they say they can make appropriate calico for early 18th C as well.... so I am thinking about getting some material and making a waistcoat.

The question for me is the backing material...

So lets first consult the Fabric Bible (Textiles in America 1650-1870 by Florence M Montgomery)

She quotes Rolt's Mid 18th Century dictionarys entry on Calico as:

Calicoe-one of the general names for the cotton-clothes of India; being a particular kind of cotton, brought from Calicut, and other places, BOTH WHITE AND COLORED; which was formerly much worn in England for the garments of women and children; but now prohibited to be worn, printed or coloured, otherwise than by needlework, upon account of its prejudicing the woolen and linen manufacturers of Great Britan and Ireland

I don't think that it was the color or patterns of material that caused the ban, but the importation of a cheap cotton cloth caused the prohibition that only served to make them more desirable.

To meet the demand and to get around the ban, UK manufacturers used fustian (linen warp and cotton weft) or imitated the prints on linen.

She has American refrences for Calico in inventories dating to 1677-78 "shirts and plain talbecloathes". A refrence to WHITE CALICO used in bed curtains and chair covers, "2 pair white calico curtains".

Lots of entries for calico garmets in the entries of Margrita van Varick, "nightgowns, neckcloths, aprons, quilted waistcoats, both white and flowered petticoats, handkerchiefs and "clouts".

Your link has a really good history of Calico:

http://calicojacks.freehomepage.com/shopping_page.html

This source for calico is a good one, but the trouble for me is what the background material is made from. For some of their prints they are using "100% cotton". While this sounds good, the reality is that 17th/early 18th century "cotton" is not like what we go to the fabric store and buy today so I would shy away from that. I do have some 120 year old hand woven cotton that probably resembles hand woven 18th century cotton, that I have been thinking that I would send them and have them work their majic...

That being said, I also have about 30 meters of Hand woven linen that would probably print up nicely and end up resembling the type of calicoes that were available in England to get around the ban.

Decisions Decisions.......

GOF

[Patrick Hand]

Calico was an inported cloth....(aaargh) cotton from India........ but not sure if it is it's peroid.. ( know for Later tymes it is ..... Mountain Man... American Civil War... etc.................... Linen is more "proper" amd was used more...... (OK this is Americain ...(dang... don"t look like I speled that right...)

Anyway... GaoP and before..............stuck with linen

(Oh yah GoF............................ Thanks.......................)

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Calico itself is period for GAoP... the trouble is finding the right calico for GAOP. The stuff they sell at JoAnnes fabric and other fabric stores under Calico is not right for us.

The links provided about have good info on period Calico.

I keep expecting to see something interesting from our friend Patrick Hand... anything in the works?

GoF

[Monterey Jack]

Montery Jack

calicojacks.freehomepage.com has some really interesting things. My guess is that their main focus is on F&I, Rev war and Rondesvouz.

Your link has a really good history of Calico:

http://calicojacks.freehomepage.com/shopping_page.html

This source for calico is a good one,

GoF;

Glad I could contribute something of use to the list. I just got back from a leather trade show in reno and haven't perused the forums in depth yet, so I'm sure I'll be talking with all of you soon!

Good to be back!