Colours in abundance and bundles - the sale of Chinese silk textiles at the auctions of the Scandinavian East India Companies Hanna Hodacs
9857 Pieces of Silk textiles Types 4996 Damask pieces “Meuble” or “Poise” 3250 Taffeta pieces 4, 6, or 8 threads 1040 Paduasoy pieces Standard lengths: m m m Width (when specified) 1.25 m
Terms for colours in Sw. Catalogue Translations and Synonyms or reference HimmelsblåSky blue, Azure blue, Cornflower blue Jonqville Jonquil (Yellow), Narcissus yellow, autumn crocus, meadow saffron Carmoise (Karmosin) Crimson (Red), cherry-red, ruby GrönGreen SwartaBlack TurqvinblåttBlue – grey? “Turquin marble” Skarl.färg probably short for Skarlakands Scarlet-coloured, Red close to orange BruntBrown AskfärgadAsh coloured PonceauRed (bright) French for "poppy-colored HvitaWhite Coul. de Rose Pink ?( Couleur de rose) CitrongohltLemon yellow PerlfärgPearl – coloured Mazarin blå Mazarin blue (dark blue colour) name from French cardinal Mazarin. French synonym “gros bleu” ? MörckblåDark blue BlyfärgLead coloured SölfwerfärgSilver coloured Paille (halmgul) Light yellow, straw-coloured, oat coloured GohltGold Coul. de ChairMeat coloured Incarnat Incarnat, vermeil, hue coloured Blomerant From French ”bleu mourant” pale blue (matt), see also Dutch bleumerant and German blümerant. Purpur Purple Liusblå Light blue Olive-grönaOlive Green
Different systems of colours 18 th century Newton - principle colours Basic colours (the specialisation of tradesmen) Primary and secondary colours Simple colour – a colour made out of one pigment/source only Sara Lowengard, The Creation of Color
Terms for colours in Sw. Catalogue Translations and Synonyms or reference HimmelsblåSky blue, Azure blue, Cornflower blue Jonqville Jonquil (Yellow), Narcissus yellow, autumn crocus, meadow saffron Carmoise (Karmosin) Crimson (Red), cherry-red, ruby GrönGreen SwartaBlack TurqvinblåttBlue – grey? “Turquin marble” Skarl.färg probably short for Skarlakands Scarlet-coloured, Red close to orange BruntBrown AskfärgadAsh coloured PonceauRed (bright) French for "poppy-colored HvitaWhite Coul. de Rose Pink ?( Couleur de rose) CitrongohltLemon yellow PerlfärgPearl – coloured Mazarin blå Mazarin blue (dark blue colour) name from French cardinal Mazarin. French synonym “gros bleu” ? MörckblåDark blue BlyfärgLead coloured SölfwerfärgSilver coloured Paille (halmgul) Light yellow, straw-coloured, oat coloured GohltGold Coul. de ChairMeat coloured Incarnat Incarnat, vermeil, hue coloured Blomerant From French ”bleu mourant” pale blue (matt), see also Dutch bleumerant and German blümerant. Purpur Purple Liusblå Light blue Olive-grönaOlive Green
Colours of Silk fabric listed in sales catalogue Gothenburg 1746
French influence on the nomenclature Poneceau Couleur de Rose Couleur de Chair Paille Blomerant from French Bleu mourant Turqvin blue probably from Turquin marble Mazarin blue, dark blue, named “in honour of “ Cardinal Mazarin, Richelieu’s predecessor
Different shades of Silk 6 different colours of blue (Sky blue, dark blue, mazarine blue, light blue, Blue Turqvin, and Blomerant) 5 different colours of red including Pink, (Crimson, Scarlet, Poncea, Coloure de Rose, Colulure the Chair) 3 different colours of grey (Ash coloured, Pearl Coloured, Lead Coloured) 3 different shades of yellow, (Jonquil, Lemon Yellow and Paille)
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Significant holdings in 16 out of 26 colours
Colours 31 pieces of Damask Poisies in 16 colours (30 lots) 37 pieces/ 6 colours (1 lot) Carmoise4 Jonguil323 Ponceau”2 Brun/Brown1 Pärlfärg/perl coloured1 Himmelsblå/Sky blue4 Askfärg./Ash coloured22 Skarlet/Scarlet colour23 Turquinblått/Blue Turguin1 Blyfärg/Lead coloured12 Grön/Green23 Mazarine blå/Blue2 Hwita/White2 Citronfärg./Lemon Yellow1 Coul. De Rose/Pink14 Swarta/Black2 Price (average)
Bale 2 Bale 1 Model B Model A: Turn one Bale into several bundles. Allows for variety of patterns and colours. Model B: Bundels from several differenet Bales (one colour in each), don’t allow for much variety between Bale 1 and Bale 2 Model A