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The Holker Album: Textile Samples and Industrial Espionage in the 18th Century
The Holker Album: Textile Samples and Industrial Espionage in the 18th Century
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- More about The Holker Album: Textile Samples and Industrial Espionage in the 18th Century
In 1751, John Holker, an English textile manufacturer exiled in France, undertook an industrial espionage mission to England to collect samples of English textiles for the French king. The samples were assembled in a manuscript volume, now preserved at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, and accompanied by handwritten technical descriptions. The album is famous for preserving the oldest identifiable samples of jean fabric and includes a facsimile reproduction, transcription, and essays exploring the globalisation of commerce, slave trade, industrial espionage, and economic rivalry between France and England.
Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 12 June 2023
Publisher: Les Arts Decoratifs
In 1751, John Holker (1719-1786), an English textile manufacturer exiled in France, embarked on an industrial espionage mission to England to gather samples of English textiles on behalf of the French king, Louis XV. Upon his return, the samples were meticulously assembled into a manuscript volume, which is now housed at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris. Each specimen in this album is accompanied by a handwritten technical description that outlines the fabric's quality, price, dimensions, and manufacturing processes. Renowned for preserving the oldest identifiable samples of jean fabric, this album holds immense historical significance.
The book, which is fully bilingual, features a facsimile reproduction of the album, accompanied by a transcription of its handwritten text and a dozen essays. These essays, penned by academics, curators, and specialists from France, Britain, and North America, offer diverse perspectives on the album, exploring themes such as the globalization of commerce, the slave trade, industrial espionage, economic rivalry between France and England, the connoisseurship of cotton, and its profound impact on the history of fashion. The book serves as a testament to the enduring connections between France and the United Kingdom, and it remains an essential reference work for the study of textiles.
Dimension: 370 x 250 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9782916914879
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