A Dyer's Sample Book: Solid Plant Derived Tones and Colors

early 1870s
when closed: 8 3/4" x 5 3/4" x 1/2", 22 cm x 14.5 cm x 1.25 cm

This is a dyer's sample book comprised of 9 pages and 36 swatches, the swatches appear to be of both silk and some kind of bast, either a finely woven hemp or ramie.

The swatches are all pure, solid colors. Each swatch is "framed" by a fairly wide, blue banding on its four sides and there is hand writing on each page, probably some description of the color.

As can be seen there are some wormholes and some staining to the book, not at all unusual for a book of this age.

The colors inside are all beautiful as can be seen here, and they are all derived from plant sources which give them an intensity and a subtlety that cannot be matched using synthetic dyes.

A treasure.

Recommended.