Credit: ©The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.20950

    ‘Indigo Style (First Stage)’

    Date
    1874
    Creator
    Unknown, Artist
    After
    William Crookes (1832 - 1919, British) , Knight Chemist, Chemist
    Library reference
    34611
    Material
    Technique
    Dimensions
    height (page): 210mm
    width (page): 130mm
    Subject
    Description
    Floral calico plate demonstrating the ‘Indigo’ style of dyeing, whereby two shades of blue are produced, with notes below on production.

    Written of the Indigo style: ‘The combinations of colour produced by this style are – (1). Blue and white. (2). Blue and yellow, or orange. (3). Blue, two shades. (4). Blue, two shades, and white. (5). Blue, two shades. (6). Dark blue and green. (7). Blue, two shades, and yellow. The first of these varieties is produced by printing upon the cloth certain “reserves” and then dyeing in the vat to the shade required. The design then appears in white upon a blue ground.’

    Plate on page 590 of William Crookes’ A practical handbook of dyeing and calico-printing (London, 1874), which provided information about the chemistry and process of dyeing, specifically calico-dyeing.

    Sir William Crookes (1832-1919), Knight chemist, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1863 and served as its President between 1913-1915.
    Powered by CollectionsIndex+/CollectionsOnline