Fine table linen in England, 1450-1750 : the supply, ownership and use of a luxury commodity
From the fourteenth century, diaper napery with small geometric patterns was imported from the Low Countries. Towards 1450, the drawloom was adapted in Flanders to weave white linen damasks with figurative patterns. These were expensive and initially covered the tables of the great. During the seventeenth century, new centres of manufacture in Germany provided cheaper figured table linens which were increasingly bought by the 'middling sort'. Dining was always more than the simple provision of sustenance whether for a king publicly 'to glase his glorie' or a merchant privately 'for love or business'. Dining ceremony which responded to these different purposes and to changing concepts of hospitality and civility, generated the furniture of the dining chamber and in turn the supplies of napery. This thesis examines the changing requirements for table linens using courtesy and household books in conjunction with a data set of some one thousand inventories. The patterns of importation by both English and stranger merchants are drawn from the London port books. Responses to the military situation on the continent and customs rates at home are considered, together with the degree to which a fashionable luxury commodity
Mitchell, David Malcolm
Damask; Fabric
Fine table linen in England, 1450-1750 : the supply, ownership and use of a luxury commodity. From the fourteenth century, diaper napery with small geometric patterns was imported from the Low Countries. Towards 1450, the drawloom was adapted in Flanders to weave white linen damasks with figurative patterns. These were expensive and initially covered the tables of the great. During the seventeenth century, new centres of manufacture in Germany provided cheaper figured table linens which were increasingly bought by the 'middling sort'. Dining was always more than the simple provision of sustenance whether for a king publicly 'to glase his glorie' or a merchant privately 'for love or business'. Dining ceremony which responded to these different purposes and to changing concepts of hospitality and civility, generated the furniture of the dining chamber and in turn the supplies of napery. This thesis examines the changing requirements for table linens using courtesy and household books in conjunction with a data set of some one thousand inventories. The patterns of importation by both English and stranger merchants are drawn from the London port books. Responses to the military situation on the continent and customs rates at home are considered, together with the degree to which a fashionable luxury commodity
fine table england supply ownership use luxury commodity small geometric pattern import low_countries towards adapt flanders weave white figurative pattern expensive initially table great new centre manufacture germany provide cheap figure table increasingly buy middling sort dining always simple provision sustenance whether king publicly merchant privately for love business dining ceremony respond different purpose change concept hospitality civility generate furniture din chamber turn supply examines_change requirement table use household book conjunction data_set inventory pattern importation english stranger merchant draw london port book responses military situation continent custom rate home consider together degree fashionable luxury commodity