Cahier de théorie : notebook on weaving

This volume of weaving techniques was created circa 1893 by J. Mercier, who was possibly a student at the École Municipal de Tissage et de Broderie in Lyon, France. The manuscript is entitled Cahier de Théorie 4e Année 3e and consists of handwritten notes for a course in fabric weaving in Eastern France in the late nineteenth century. The teacher of the course is identified as M. Felix.

Mercier’s manual was written in a clear hand and contains painstakingly detailed drawings of weaving patterns and diagrams for warping textile looms. A typical entry consists of handwritten notes on the combing and smoothing of thread, the proper ratios of different types of thread to create a particular fabric, and instructions for setting up the loom. The entries also contain detailed diagrams of weaving patterns in black and red ink as well as hand-painted, multicolor drawings of repeating patterns that could be achieved. Most entries also include a fabric swatch. The majority of the fabrics were intended for dress making, but Mercier described a few as upholstery fabrics, most of which had larger patterns. Mercier focused primarily on silk production, but some fabrics contained blends of wool and cotton as well. Included are descriptions and swatches of damask, Peking silk, satin, brocatelle, lampas, drouguet, velour, and gauze. The entries for damask and embroidery on pages 55 and 56 were dated October 15, 1893.

Mercier also provided information on the decomposition of woven textiles. At the end of the volume, he included a table briefly describing the composition of various woven fabrics. The final page contains a chart of the prices and weights of silk from different countries, including Spain, Italy, Japan, and China.

This large volume features green cloth over boards, and pink marbled paper on the inside of the front and back covers. The page signatures are loosely bound with green string. On the side of the front cover, there is an inscription reading “1st août 91 fr. 1.75/ feuilles 2.25” in black ink. The title page reads “Cahier de Théorie 4e Année 3e. Professeur M. Felix. J. Mercier.” The volume contains 140 pages of gridded paper with a black border, of which 21 are blank. The text is written in black ink and detailed drawings of weave structure are done in black and red ink throughout. The volume contains 29 hand-painted, multicolor patterns and 75 fabric swatches. There is a piece of blue paper between the last leaf and the back cover. Pasted onto the inside of the back cover there is a chart showing the price per weight of silks, woolens, and cottons, issued in Lyon on June 24, 1856.