Deb Salisbury, The Mantua-Maker

A few costuming links

2010-06-29T19:38:00.005-05:00

Oh, dear! Where has the time gone? Sorry to be running so late!

Scientists Find 5,500-Year-Old Preserved Shoe In Cave via NPR

An Overview of Regency Stays/Corsets at the Oregon Regency Society

Costume-Con 29 will be hosted by the Sick Pups, the NJ/NY Chapter of the International Costumers' Guild (ICG).

Thistle Hill Weavers has hard-to-find reproduction fabrics

There's a new issue of Yipe

YIPE! Volume 2, Issue 6, "We'll Take It In A Little," is now available for download at http://www.yipezine.com/

Our June issue has a special focus on the recent Baycon here in Santa Clara:

Our first BayCon tale comes from our good friend Leo Schwab, who writes of his out of costume life as a man everyone accuses of being in costume. The awkwardness is reinforced by Joanne Pelaschier's take on her first ever outing to the San Francisco Bay Area's. um. BayConiest. convention?

Then, right on schedule, España gives the Masquerade system an atomic wedgie and steals its lunch money. Longtime reader and first-time contributor Deborah Bretschneider follows with the tale of "Eat theGuests", BayCon's first attempt at a zombiewalk. or zombie sit, as the case may be.

And, because we're all a bunch of selfish bastards who can't stop talking about ourselves for one instant, Mette puts us back on track with 10 questions for Cosplay goddess and BayCon regular Karisu.

As usual, we're always on the lookout for submissions for the next issue. Drop a line to editors@yipezine.com if you have an article,photos, art, poetry, etc. you'd like to contribute to issue 2.7 for July!

Kevin
http://www.yipezine.com/

Links to Photos from Costume Con 28

2010-05-17T20:10:00.005-05:00

Richard Man took many wonderful photos of the costumes at CC28. Enjoy!

http://www.rfman.com/SF-and-Fantasy-Conventions/Costume-Con-28/Friday-Social/

http://www.rfman.com/SF-and-Fantasy-Conventions/Costume-Con-28/Sat-SF/

http://www.rfman.com/SF-and-Fantasy-Conventions/Costume-Con-28/Hall-Costumes

http://www.rfman.com/SF-and-Fantasy-Conventions/Costume-Con-28/Sun-Future-Fashion

http://www.rfman.com/SF-and-Fantasy-Conventions/Costume-Con-28/Sun-Historical

The top level links to all the CC28 photos are
http://www.rfman.com/SF-and-Fantasy-Conventions/Costume-Con-28/

From Richard:
You can buy prints from the site directly. I have set the price to be fairly low: only $2.49 for a 4x6 print.

I will make CD of all the competition photos (web size resolution only, suitable for computer viewing) for $28 including shipping. Just send me a check or use paypal.

Now on Kindle

2010-04-17T11:55:00.002-05:00

I am so happy! In fact, I'm thrilled!

My dictionary of colour in history,

Elephant's Breath and London Smoke,

is now available on Kindle!

More news from my publisher, Five Rivers: Apple, Kindle, Smashwords and The Docket

A little about me ...

2010-03-19T23:18:00.004-05:00

My publisher, Lorina Stephens of Five Rivers Publishing, has interviewed me at

Profile Series: Deb Salisbury

There's a bit about me, my pattern company, and my book, Elephant's Breath & London Smoke. Plus a few thoughts on my current work. Please drop by.

from the Vassar College Costume Collection

2010-03-13T20:53:00.003-06:00

Someone on one of my costume lists mentioned this very interesting site. *

Students from the Historic Costume Preservation Workshop at Vassar College examine ...

It gives short videos of students examining historic costumes from the Vassar College Costume Collection. Lots of construction details are shown!

* Sorry, I was brainless and deleted the email, or I'd give you credit.

Bonnet Workshop on May 2, 2010

2010-03-09T20:56:00.005-06:00

This looks too good to pass up:

The 2010 Regency Bonnet Workshop

will be on May 2nd, 2010 at the Sandy Historical Museum. It will be taught by Stephanie Johanesen and sponsored by the Oregon Regency Society.

Have a look at her gorgeous bonnets, and her instruction videos. She makes it easy!

I wish I lived somewhere near Oregon!

A new review of Elephant's Breath & London Smoke

2010-03-07T20:29:00.005-06:00

Lorina at Five Rivers and Google Alerts mentioned this great review of EBLS at Rosemary for Remembrance. Thank you, Jonquil! And thanks for comparing it to a "box full of perfect chocolates" in an earlier post. You made my day!

----------------------------------------------------

Elephant's Breath and London Smoke: Historic Colour Names, Definitions, & Uses. Edited by Deb Salisbury, Five Rivers, Neustadt, Ontario, Canada, 2009, ISBN 978-0-9739278-2-5, $32.95.

To begin with, this book is fun. Just skimming the pages leads you to treasures like "wine yellow", "the pale and doubtful shade of claret known as wine-and-water", and "clair de lune", "A color that gives the effect of sheeny white, over pale blue." If you want to browse 19th-century fashionable clothing colors, this book is absolutely perfect for you.

There are, however, some execution problems. The back cover promises to cover "from around 1380 to 1922" in "English, American, Canadian, and Australian publications." In practice, however, few of the citations are to sources from the 1700s; most pre-19th-century citations are to 19th-century references to older works, including an 1845 modernized edition of Chaucer and Letters Received by the East India Company, 1897. There are no references to modern scholarship -- one obvious omission is Janet Arnold's magisterial Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd.. The author says frankly that "A great many of my sources were found on Google Books", and the book reflects the limitations of what is currently digitized and in the public domain. (If you look at the bibliography, however, the author has clearly researched works that are not currently digitized.) Similarly, the references to early 20th-century sources are scant; the last one I spotted was to 1910, and there are only a few 20th-century books in the bibliography.

Almost all the citations are to fashion publications. If you want to know what architects, for instance, were saying about colors you're out of luck. There are, however, some invaluable citations to a 1908 source, Modern Pigments and their Vehicles, and to an 1834 source, Practical Treatise on Dying, both of which give recipes for colors, useful for pinning down precisely what was intended by a particular name.

Although the book is in dictionary style, repeated references aren't merged into a single header. Instead, you have eight definitions of "iron gray", one after the other in a long line. Similarly, the entries for "dead leaf", "feuille mort", "filemot", "foliomort", "philomot" are cross-referenced but not merged. It's enormously labor-intensive to do this sort of merging, so for a single individual not working under the aegis of an academic press, its absence is unsurprising.

There are some enjoyable longer paragraphs in the back under the title of "Period Comments on Colours" including "Victorian Complaints about 17th-Century Colour Names" and "Old and New Colours:1872". There is also an invaluable bibliography. As a piece of scholarship, Elephant's Breath & London Smoke is somewhat limited. As a laywoman's (-man's) reference to the fashionable clothing colors of the 19th century, it is invaluable. And, as mentioned in the opening paragraph, it is fun.

Tartans and costumes

2010-02-24T23:44:00.004-06:00

Scotland for the Senses has info about the tartan, and a cool giveaway!

Tartan: The lore, the love (and this month's giveaway)

Kevin Roche announced a new issue of

YIPE!
The Costume Fanzine of Record

Fun award and an amazing 1906 video

2010-02-17T21:35:00.005-06:00

John Sankovich at A little bit of... has awarded me with the "Creative Writer" award in his current post: WiP Wednesday

Thanks, John!

Here are the rules of the blog award:
1) Thank the person who tagged me. √
2) Copy and Paste the award on my blog. √
3) Link to the person who nominated me. √
4) Tell up to 6 lies and 1 truth about myself.
5) Tag at least 7 people for this award.
6) Post links to their blogs.
7) Comment on each of their blogs to inform them of the nomination.

Hmmm. I need to think up some lies.

But for now I want to share a fantastic link to a video made in San Francisco in 1906.

Thank you, Linda Bryan, for sharing this on the 19th Century Women list!!!

http://www.flixxy.com/san-francisco-1905-historical-footage.htm

This is the text with the email she received.

Frisco Street 7-minute Car Ride 1906 - No lights, no traffic direction, all at the pace of a horse or bicycle. Thought the young people might not believe what life was like 100 years ago!Even some cars with right hand drive!

This fascinating bit of film was shot from the San FranciscoMarket Street cable car estimated taken just a few days before the '06 earthquake. Ntre [sic] the cable "rail" between the tracks. The cable cars currently in use have not changed since these pictures.

Amazing to see the casual way the early cars just wove in an outof traffic and the pedestrians seemingly taking their lives in theirhands as they walked in front of anything on wheels. Notice the heavy goods wagons running on tracks on the right as they get close to the Ferry Building. The wagons appear to have extra large steel wheels with a standard track width.

And what about the fat cop with his truncheon ready to deal withany civil disturbances. Wonder what he did during the earthquake.

Some comment from a local historian:

-This gets identified as 1905 to 1909, but recent research by some transitexperts concludes that it was done possibly on Monday, April 16, 1906 orTuesday, April 17! Yep a day or two before the earthquake that wouldgreatly alter this landscape.

The other interesting thing is to watch the traffic and the chances peopletook when crossing the street. Street accidents were endemic throughoutthe US as the country changed with the advent of the horseless carriage.

The cable cars that are visible were running at a predictable 9.2 MPH.Horses moved slowly on city streets too. But the automobile could reachspeeds of 20 MPH! Early autos had the steering wheel on the right, thenwe standardized it to the left. The rules of the road were evolving. Major train crossing had crossing lights, but rural crossing were only marked with a sign and you were responsible for your own safety in crossing the tracks and looking for the train a'coming. Even signal lights in cities didn't evolve until the 1920s. The cop directing traffic was about the only traffic control in use until then. As life sped up, we devised ways to protect the public, but it evolved slowly and unfortunately a lot of people died getting where we have some civility on city streets.

Another review for Elephant's Breath & London Smoke

2010-01-29T22:16:00.004-06:00

by Carol Wood

Just got my copy of "Elephant's Breath & London Smoke: Historic colour names, definitions & uses," ed. by Deb Salisbury. I LOVE it! I'm a sucker when linguistics meets costuming and this is a great book, I think.

I've as yet only looked up a few color terms and I think it's well done.

http://www.amazon.com/Elephants-Breath-London-Smoke-Salisbury/dp/0973927828/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264612245&sr=1-1

Didn't know about it until I read a book review in the latest issue of the Virtual Costumer (http://www.siwcostumers.org/) and I just love it!

What do others think of it so far?

Cheers,
Carol
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you, Carol!

Georgian Stays - links

2010-01-24T21:41:00.002-06:00

Hallie Larkin at 18th Century Stays has compiled a list of

Online Images of 18th Century Stays

WOW! What great photos! Thanks, Hallie!

New Reviews on EBLS

2010-01-18T14:04:00.003-06:00

On Amazon UK:

Excellent reference work, 25 Dec 2009
By Malcolm Green http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R3LNMHO8Q79026/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

Not a book to read as such - this is not some coffee table tome on colours and pigments - but an excellent reference book, referring colour names (listed, with bibliographical details and often many citations for the same colour name) from the 14th to the end of the 19th century) over hundreds of pages. This is an excellent bit of sustained research that should appeal to everyone from artists colourpersons to the fashion-minded, costume historians, interior designers, people of the stage, horse-fanciers (sensibly many horse colours are listed) and not least of all poets. Quite a gem and quite unexpected. And if I wrote at the beginning this is "not a book to read" you will find yourself dipping and before you notice wallowing...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the wonderful blog - Two Nerdy History Girls

The NHG library: Elephant's Breath & London Smoke

Thank you, Malcolm and Loretta!

December issue of YIPE!

2009-12-21T22:04:00.002-06:00

The December issue of YIPE! is now available for download at

http://www.yipezine.com/

32 pages of costuming photos and fun just in time for the holidays.

Giveaway Winners!

2009-12-01T20:33:00.003-06:00

Congratulations to the winners of Elephant's Breath & London Smoke in the GoodReads Giveaway!

Riah Ellis
Amy Huziak
Seymour Hersh
Mary Reed

Your books will be shipped directly from the publisher soon. I would be very grateful if you could write a review after you've had a chance to read through it.

Many thanks to Lorina of Five Rivers Chapmanry for sponsoring the contest!

Giveaway ends soon!

2009-11-29T18:12:00.003-06:00

Just a reminder that my publisher, Lorina of Five Rivers Chapmanry, is giving away four copies of Elephant's Breath & London Smoke at Goodreads!

The contest ends late tonight!

Join in the fun! Just click on the Enter to Win button.

Interesting links

2009-11-18T22:37:00.003-06:00

Five Rivers Books on Smashwords - changes are coming to Five Rivers Publishing

The online costume 'zine
Yipe!
has a new issue with many wonderful photos.

Volume 1, Issue 1 is now available for download (in two resolutions)

Color of the Day - Alexandra blue

2009-11-09T21:11:00.006-06:00

Alexandra – Born at Copenhagen, Dec. 1, 1844. Daughter of Christian IX. of Denmark and wife of Edward VII., king of England, whom she married March 10, 1863.
Century Cyclopedia of Names, 1904

Alexandra blue, 1863 – The beautiful colour which has received the name of Alexandra blue,
What-Not, April 1863

Alexandra blue, 1872 – It is worth noting that ultramarine, in a very deep shade (when it borrows the name “Alexandra,” “royal,” &c., according to the period), is one of the most unbecoming colors that can be placed near the face in masses. Its brilliancy lends a yellow hue to the skin, while its deepness withholds the gray shadows cast by pale blues, which are so valuable to delicate complexions: it should be shunned alike by the florid and the fair.
Every Saturday, November 16, 1872

excerpt from: Elephant's Breath & London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at http://www.mantua-maker.com/

Book Giveaway

2009-10-31T15:21:00.003-05:00

Happy Halloween, everyone!

My publisher, Lorina of Five Rivers Chapmanry, is giving away four copies of Elephant's Breath & London Smoke at Goodreads!

The contest ends on 11/30/09.

Join in the fun! Just click on the Enter to Win button.

Best of luck to you!

Introducing - Yipe!: the Costume Fanzine of Record

2009-10-17T13:55:00.003-05:00

I just received an email from the magnificent costumer Kevin Roche:

Yesterday my friend Jason Shachat and I released the first issue of our new online 'zine, YIPE!, dedicated to the art and craft of costume. Our goal was to produce the look and feel of a glossy pictorial magazine in every way but the "printed on paper" part.

You can download the inaugural isue as an Acrobat (PDF) file at http://www.yipezine.com .

Hope you enjoy it; this is definitely a labor of love.
Kevin

P.S. If you have the bandwidth and storage, I recommend you opt for the high-resolution (25M) version. It's really spectacular.

P.P.S. If you are interested in contributing to future issues of YIPE!, contact us at editors@yipezine.com

I just finished reading it, and I'm very impressed. I highly recommend it!

The Mantua-Maker in Creative Machine Embroidery

2009-10-14T20:47:00.003-05:00

Creative Machine Embroidery magazine was kind enough to put a photo of one of my patterns in the November/December 2009 issue!

1500 - 1630 Spanish Loose Gown is on page 72, on the Fashion Forecast page. I'm part of the latest trends!

This issue also has Last Minute Gift Ideas, Stabilizing Secrets, and ways to Wake Up Your Winter Wardrobe.

Blog posts for writers

2009-10-08T21:31:00.001-05:00

On my other blog, I've been posting links to help writers with the business of publishing.

Deb Salisbury, Magic Seeker: Blog posts for writers - Oct 8

Here I am testing to see how Create a Link works. Does anyone know how to create links to multiple posts in the Create a Link section?

I'm confused!

Etsy Corsetry Guild

2009-09-28T22:07:00.002-05:00

Electra Designs has announced the creation of an Etsy Corsetry Guild.

"The Etsy Corsetry Guild is made up of a group of very talented corset makers who sell hand made corsets on Etsy.com.

"Our philosophy is non-competition between corset makers. Instead of competing against one another, we will all work to promote the work of other corset makers on etsy.

"The Etsy Corsetry Guild will also collaborate to produce educational information to help consumers make informed decisions about their corset purchases and to help them to distinguish between high quality, hand made corsets and inferior, sweat shop "corset" lingerie.

"If you or someone you know is a talented corset maker on Etsy, please invite them to apply for membership to the Etsy Corsetry Guild."

Please click on the link above for more information.

More on spider-silk cloth

2009-09-26T13:30:00.005-05:00

Thank you to Robin Netherton for this link with a much better photo and more details.

1 Million Spiders Make Golden Silk for Rare Cloth from Wired.com / Wired Science

This fabric is far more beautiful than I had guessed!

Spider silk

2009-09-24T21:25:00.002-05:00

Carole Parker sent along this article from the New York Times:

Gossamer Silk, From Spiders Spun

Fabric created from spider silk!

I was fascinated and wanted to share it with you.

Color of the Day - Turquoise

2009-09-22T22:43:00.001-05:00

Turquoise, 1872 – Turquoise blue, …is a most beautiful pale color, less cold than indigo, yet colder than ultramarine, …In dress, when not too brilliant, it is exceedingly becoming, especially to fair persons, adding gray to the shadows of the complexion, enhancing the rose of the cheek and any shade of yellow latent in the hair. It is, though not the brightest, the most penetrating of all blues.
Every Saturday, November 16, 1872

excerpt from: Elephant's Breath & London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Color of the Day - Royal grene

2009-09-03T22:17:00.002-05:00

Royal grene, 1380 – Among the most popular were “royal grene;” which from ancient miniatures we should judge to have been a fine grass-green with a distinct dash of yellow in it, like the colour of a sunlit leaf.
Contemporary Review, September 1883

excerpt from: Elephant's Breath & London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Renaissance Corset Making Class in Houston TX

2009-08-27T21:47:00.003-05:00

Alexis Black of Electra Designs, a member of the Houston Texas Corset Making Group, is offering a class for making a Renaissance corset using my Quilted Bodies pattern.

The class will be held on September 26, 2009 and will run for 8 hours.

For full details, check out the announcement at:

http://www.meetup.com/Make-Corsets/calendar/11217729/

You can also see her work at her Live Journal blog:

http://electradesigns.livejournal.com/

Color of the Day - Milk and water

2009-08-15T23:28:00.004-05:00

Milk and watter, 1562 – Maye 21, 1562. … one clock {cloak} of colour called milk and watter.
Wills and Inventories from the Registry of the Archdeaconry of Richmond, 1853

Milke and water, 1587 – iiij yds of milke and water
Wills and Inventories from the Registry at Durham, 1860

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath & London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

#11 in books on fashion at Amazon

2009-08-02T18:32:00.003-05:00

I'd like to think Lorina Stephens at Five Rivers Chapmanry for pointing out on her blog that Elephant's Breath & London Smoke now ranks #11 in books on fashion at Amazon.com.

I'm thrilled! I hope you'll check out my Amazon page at Elephant's Breath & London Smoke.

Elephant's Breath & London Smoke is a dictionary of color in history, especially as seen in fashion.

Wool Export Colours in 1747

2009-07-25T20:57:00.001-05:00

Only coloured Cloths are fent to the Levant; but they are different, according as they are defined for Perfia or Smyrna.

The Colours for Smyrna are, Scarlet, or red Crimfon, Violet, Purple, Green, Prince Colour, and Cinamon. Thofe for Perfia are, Ifa belle, Feuille morte, Yellow, Citron, Orange, Flefh Colour, Celadon, clear Purple, Rofe Colour, Carnation, Amarante, grey Pearl, Blue, Lead Grey, and Scarlet.

Memoirs of Wool, &c., 1747

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath & London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Color of the Day - Coralline

2009-07-18T10:59:00.001-05:00

Coralline – (Peonine). A deep red coloring matter … In tone it is perfectly distinct from magenta, being a red, as its name intimates, resembling that of the peony and of coral. … An outcry is at present raised against its use, on the ground of alleged poisonous properties, which are probably much overstated.
Manual of Colour and Dye Wares, 1870

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath & London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

In the reign of Elizabeth I

2009-07-14T22:13:00.004-05:00

A runaway page was thus defcribed in the reign of Elizabeth

These are to pray you, &c. to make hew and cry for a yonge stripling aged twenty-two years, with one doblet of yellow million fuftion, the one half buttoned with peche coloured buttons, the other half laced downwards. One payer of peche coloured hofe, laced with fmall tawney lace. A graye hat, with a copper edge round it; a pair of watched ftockings. He hath two clokes, the one of veffey collor, garded with two yards of black cloth and twifted lace of carnacyon collor, and lined with crimfone bayes; the other is a red fhipp ruffet colour, ftriped about the cape; and gown the fore face twifted with two rows of twifted lace; ruffet and gold buttons afore and upon the fholdier, being of the clothe itfelf, fet with the faid twifted lace, and the buttons of ruffet filk and gold.”

Antiqu. Repertory, Vol. II.
The British Critic, October 1797

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath & London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Color of the Day - Popinjay

2009-07-10T23:13:00.002-05:00

Popinjay, 1735 – To dye a Popinjay-Green. Make a weak lixivium of pot-afhes, fuch as the country people wafh their clothes with, put into it Indigo a fufficient quantity; then put in your things to be dyed (being firft dyed yellow), let it boil, the longer the better, fo will the colour be good.
Dictionarium Polygraphicum, 1735

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath & London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Color of the Day - Scarlet

2009-07-05T22:39:00.000-05:00

Scarlet, 1607 – Scarlet cloth was supposed to be endued with medicinal virtues, of which an instance is given by Dr. Gaddesden, who is said to have cured a patient of the small-pox by wrapping him in a scarlet cloth. “And these applied with a right scarlet cloth.” B. Jonson’s Volpone.
Glossary and Etymological Dictionary, 1834

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath and London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Should You Consider Submitting to a Micro-Publisher?

2009-07-01T22:08:00.003-05:00

I wrote a short article for Vision, an e-resource for writers, offering a bit of advice on finding and working with a micro-publisher. I happened to be lucky in my choice - my publisher works harder at promotion than I do. But there are many things to think about when you try to choose a micro-publisher.

You can read my article here:

http://lazette.net/vision/Vision52/micro.htm

Color of the Day - Mordoré

2009-06-27T22:11:00.002-05:00

Mordoré, 1791 – by uniting thefe two mordants, alum and iron, we have mixed colours, inclining to red on the one hand, and to black on the other, fuch {such} as mordoré and puce colour. … various colours may be obtained from madder united with yellow fubftances. It is in this way, that mordoré and cinnamon colours are produced;
Elements of the Art of Dyeing, 1791

Mordoré, 1798 – Is a dark dirty Crimfon Red; a mixture of Crimfon and a little Brown.
Philosophy of Mineralogy, 1798

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath and London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Color of the Day - Black and Dyers Black

2009-06-22T20:02:00.000-05:00

Black , 1775 – abfence or want of light and colour, owing to a body’s reflecting no rays of light. Dyers black, for ftuffs of a high price, is compofed of indigo, woad, boiled with alum, tarter or afhes of lees or wine, maddered with common madder, and mixed with gall-nuts of Aleppo, copperas and fumach. The beft black cloth fhould be firft dyed blue.
Royal English Dictionary, 1775

Outtake from:
Elephant's Breath and London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Color of the Day - Proserpine

2009-06-19T19:52:00.002-05:00

Proserpine – The new colors of the season are chiefly intended for evening dress. … Proserpine-color is perhaps the newest of all; it is a dark but brilliant shade of crushed-raspberry, a good deal deeper than the hue, of that name, which was so fashionable a few seasons ago, but in the same gamut of tones.
Peterson's Magazine, April 1886

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath and London Smoke
A Dictionary of Color in History
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Color of the Day - Claie

2009-06-17T21:13:00.003-05:00

Claie, 1600 – Item, one rounde kirtle of claie-colour satten, or terr’ sigillata, enbrodered all over with flowers of Venice silver and blacke silke. {Queen Elizabeth’s wardrobe}
Progresses and Public Processions of Queen Elizabeth, 1823

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath and London Smoke
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Colour Language: 1904

2009-06-15T19:30:00.001-05:00

We have a colour language, but it is not accurate. We all begin our existence by feeling an interest only in self, and by taking the mouth as our centre. And even when, grown older, we show an interest in the doings of our neighbours and the aspect of things near us, we still give evidence that our own mouth is our starting point of interest and comparison. Take up a book of sample papers, and observe the names you give to the colours. “This is lemon colour,” you say; “and here is cream colour, and blue, and crushed strawberry. And that is biscuit colour, and here are orange, cherry colour, and chocolate.” You may not mention “salmon colour” or “oatmeal,” or “applegreen,” &c., yet, almost certainly, many of your colour names will be taken from the orchard and the larder. We note this tendency even in Chaucer, who said that one thing was “as white as Maine bread,” and another “as green as a leek.” The simple woman, then, and the great poet make colour names by comparison, and very good and forcible names they are. But we do not stop here. Fashionable dressmakers have given us a new vocabulary, and many of their names appear to have their origin in mere caprice. They change so rapidly, too, that we cannot be sure very long of their meaning. “Réséda” was once green. Now it is a kind of blue. Ecru may mean one thing to one person – another thing to other persons. It would be just as reasonable to teach a perishing dialect, instead of the English language, as to teach this new colour vocabulary of an hour.
Education Through the Imagination, 1904

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath and London Smoke
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Aniline dye, 1876

2009-06-13T17:31:00.001-05:00

Aniline , 1876 – The Most Beautiful Colors are made by the use of Leamon’s Aniline Dyes. They are strongly concentrated solutions, and one bottle will color an astonishing amount. No other dye-stuff approaches then in ease and simplicity of use, and none are so economical. If you have anything you can save by making the color as good as new, give them a trial. Very full directions with each package, for all uses. The colors are remarkably fast and brilliant. Any shade or color can be made. All druggists sell them.
World of Fashion, May 1876

Outtake from:
Elephant's Breath and London Smoke
edited by Deb Salisbury
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Color of the Day - Sage

2009-06-11T19:44:00.001-05:00

Sage, 1900 – Sage Green. Interpretation: Lifelessness, inanity, also Vulgarity, Coarseness, Vileness.
Auras and Colors, 1900

excerpt from:
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edited by Deb Salisbury
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Color of the Day - Claret

2009-06-09T20:26:00.003-05:00

Claret, 1900 – Moody, Distrust, Suspicion, Weakness, Passion.
Auras and Colors, 1900

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath and London Smoke
edited by Deb Salisbury
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Color of the Day - Antwerp blue

2009-06-07T18:02:00.000-05:00

Antwerp blue, 1900 – Beauty, Power, Nobility, Integrity.
Auras and Colors, 1900

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Khaki

2009-06-05T20:02:00.002-05:00

Khaki, 1883 – an earthy or grey clay colour, now largely used to dye the uniform of soldiers. “Khaki” is the name given to a sect of Vaishnava Hindus founded by Kil, a disciple of Krishna Das. They apply ashes of cowdung to their dress and persons, hence the name of khaki given to them.
Economic Products Of India, 1883

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Abraham

2009-06-03T22:38:00.001-05:00

Abraham, 1600 – Abraham-colour, supposed to be a dingy yellow. Archdeacon Nares thinks it a corruption of auburn, which was sometimes written abron, … but the greater probability is, that Abraham was depicted in the old tapestries with a yellow, or rather an orange tawny, beard, and hence that colour, or something resembling it, derives its name.
Glossary and Etymological Dictionary, 1834

Abraham, 1602 – in an old play called Blurt Mafter Conftable, or The Spaniard’s Night-Walk, 1602: “over all, / A goodly, long, thick, Abraham-colour’d beard.”
The Plays of William Shakspeare, 1793

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Electrum

2009-06-02T20:57:00.001-05:00

Electrum – In Homer and Hesiod this word means amber. Pliny says that when gold contains a fifth part of silver, it is called electrum. Its colour was whiter and more luminous than that of gold, and the metal was supposed to betray the presence of poison. Specimens are rare.
Dictionary of Words Used in Art and Archæology, 1883

out-take from:
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Color of the Day - Venetian scarlet

2009-06-01T20:55:00.001-05:00

Venetian scarlet, 1797 – There are three kinds of fcarlet, viz. that dyed with kermes, with cochineal, and gum-lac. The firft, called Venetian fcarlet, is leaft bright, but more permanent, and lefs apt to be fpotted than the others; infomuch that in fome pieces of tapeftry done with this at Bruxelles in Flanders, it has fcarce loft any of its vivacity in 200 years. However, it is fcarce ever ufed except for tapeftry,
Encyclopædia Britannica, 1797

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Nuage

2009-05-31T17:46:00.002-05:00

Nuage, 1874 – Some charming new greys are called “nuage”, all the tints that can be in the clouds are included in this – the gris charni, gris de Nil, gris russe, gris d’acier, gris fuetre.
Warehousemen and Drapers’ Trade Journal, May 2, 1874

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Raymond blue

2009-05-28T22:35:00.002-05:00

Raymond blue, 1811 – the Process for dying Silk of a Prussian Blue. By M. Raymond. Published by the Government in 1811. …the blue obtained by prussiate of iron, otherwise termed Raymond’s blues, are at least as brilliant, …as in blues which are produced with the sulphuric solution of indigo, and known by the name of composition blues; and they have this advantage over the latter, that they are much more beautiful, and at the same time more solid.
Repertory of Arts, August 1815

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Mouse

2009-05-27T22:57:00.001-05:00

Mouse, 1886 – The darker shades of gray – such as mouse-gray… – are very much worn just now, and, when relieved with slight trimmings of cut-steel or antique silver, have a very refined aspect. These tints are only becoming, however, to persons with a very brilliant complexion, as they make pale persons look paler, and give a positively green hue to a sallow skin.
Peterson’s Magazine, April 1886

excerpt from:
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Now available through Expresso

2009-05-26T14:00:00.003-05:00

Elephant's Breath and London Smoke - as well as all other books published by Five Rivers - are now available on the Expresso Book Machine.

Here is the announcement from my publisher, Five Rivers:

http://5riversnews.blogspot.com/2009/05/five-rivers-books-now-available-through.html

Included is a list of places that have the Expresso Book Machine and a YouTube video.

Color of the Day - Liard

2009-05-24T17:26:00.002-05:00

Liard, 1380 – of a grey colour, approaching to white; it is called liart in Scotland. “Attour his belt his liard lockes lay.” Chaucer.
Glossary and Etymological Dictionary, 1834

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Dry rose

2009-05-23T14:30:00.001-05:00

Dry rose, 1761 – They distinguish many forts of purple colours. One was extremely deep, of a red drawing to a violet. f … f …this species of purple approached to the colour we call dry rofe, like to that which the leaves of the vines take when they are ready to fall. He adds, ’tis very nearly the fame we fee in the interior border of the rainbow.
Origin of Laws, Arts, and Sciences, 1761

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Yellow

2009-05-22T16:51:00.002-05:00

Yellow, 1908 – Yellow is a splendid shade, and one that is both subtle and mysterious. The Burmese – a race that is most cunning m psychic matters – make a deep study of its varying effects, and use it in all their garments of ceremony. But, with us, yellow has been for many years greatly and most unjustly despised. It is one of the finest of colours, with many exquisite shades, and only when too pure is it unmanageable. The cold, pale primrose, that shines like a light in the hedgerows, may be massed about a young face with impunity. Apricot is beautiful for some people, and ambers of all shades are exceedingly good and becoming A fair woman looks well in pale yellow and brown, the effect being well shown in the third of the following illustrations; and deep orange suits a brunette. A dull tawny shade, once called “buff,” is also most becoming. Yellow was a favourite colour with most of the old masters. …In fact, yellow is the “sun colour,” is most lucky, and suits almost everyone.
Strand Magazine, January 1908

excerpt from:
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edited by Deb Salisbury
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Advice from 1872

2009-05-21T19:46:00.004-05:00

A lady of taste will not forget that colors change according as they are looked at by day or by lamp-light, and we see her in the middle of the day stepping into a closed saloon lit up with gas to choose her evening dress. … Buttercup yellow, so bright at any time, is brighter than ever of an evening, straw-color becomes rosier, … Pink changes to salmon-color. …The yellow light of gas or candles, so hostile to all blue tints, enhances the splendor of red. Ruby becomes more brilliant, nacarate appears lighter, cérise deepens to crimson, and crimson inclines to capucine, which itself assumes a more orange-like tone, and orange vies with fire-color.
Harper's Bazar, April 27, 1872

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath and London Smoke
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Color of the Day - Heliotrope

2009-05-20T21:10:00.002-05:00

Heliotrope, 1894 – A woman who has naturally a good color in her cheeks and lips is rendered positively pallid-looking by a gown or hat in a dull-heliotrope tint. A light pinkish shade of this color would be much kinder to her; but at best heliotrope is an uncharitable hue, and unless one is quite sure of its becomingness, it is safest to avoid it.
Delineator, June 1894

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Tuly

2009-05-19T16:55:00.004-05:00

Tuly, 1440 – Tuly, colowre. 6 Punicus, … 6 Tuly appears to have been a deep red colour; the term occurs in Coer de Lion, “trappys of tuely sylke,” v. 1516, supposed by Weber to be toile de soie.…1321, a chasuble is mentioned “de tule samito.”… in Sloane MS 73 {c.1460},… “to make bokerham tuly, or tuly thred, … a manner of reed colour as it were if croppe mader,”
Promptorium Parvulorum, 1865

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Bayard

2009-05-18T16:16:00.003-05:00

Bayard, 1529 – name of the magic war-horse given by Charlemagne to Renaud (Rinaldo) …representative name for a horse and for blindness and recklessness. The Fr. word baiard, bayard,= ‘bay-colored’ was in early use in Eng., meaning ‘bay-colored’, ‘bay horse’; …1529: Bold bayarde, ye are to blynde,
Stanford Dictionary of Anglicised Words and Phrases, 1892

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Mummy

2009-05-17T10:51:00.001-05:00

Mummy, 1901 – ‘Mummy,’ as a pigment, is inferior to prepared, but superior to raw, asphalt, inasmuch as it has been submitted to a considerable degree of heat, and has thereby lost some of its volatile hydrocarbons. Moreover, it is usual to grind up the bones and other parts of the mummy together, so that the resulting powder has more solidity and is less fusible than the asphalt alone would be. A London colourman informs me that one Egyptian mummy furnishes sufficient material to satisfy the demands of his customers for twenty years. It is perhaps scarcely necessary to add that some samples of the pigment sold as ‘mummy’ are spurious. Mummy was certainly used as an oil-paint at least as early as the close of the sixteenth century.
Chemistry of Paints and Painting, 1901

excerpt from:
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Complaints about colors from 1892

2009-05-15T16:52:00.003-05:00

EVERY student of botany, ornithology, or entomology, has found the lack of any well-defined standard or credited nomenclature of color a prolific source of trial and perplexity, while to the common eye there is nothing but confusion in our present methods of designating color. No stronger proof of this is needed than some of the terms used to designate fashionable colors, such as “crushed strawberry,” “ashes of roses,” “elephant’s breath,” etc. What more absurd terms could one easily choose to express an intelligible conception.
Science, February 26, 1892

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Judas

2009-05-14T19:35:00.001-05:00

Judas, 1613 – Judas was conftantly reprefented in ancient painting or tapeftry, with red hair and beard. So, in The Infatiate Countefs, 1613: “I ever thought by his red beard he would prove a Judas.”
The Plays of William Shakspeare, 1793

excerpt from:
Elephant's Breath and London Smoke
edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Color of the Day - Scheele’s green

2009-05-13T19:40:00.001-05:00

Scheele’s green, 1870 – It is injurious to wear a green dress, of the colour have been imparted to it by means of Scheele’s green, which is arsenite of copper – a deadly poison. I have known the arsenic to fly off from a green dress in the form of powder, and to produce in consequence, ill health.
Advice to a Mother, 1870

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Cinnamon

2009-05-12T23:20:00.002-05:00

Cinnamon, 1850 – Take half a pound of ground camwood, tie it in a thin bag, and put it into a brass or tin kettle with two gallons of soft water. Boil it a quarter of an hour. Then strain it, and put in the article, wet thoroughly in water. Dip it carefully, and repeat the dipping till it takes the colour completely. With the dye that is left, you may obtain different shades of brown by adding, in small quantities, more or less copperas; giving it another boil.
Miss Leslie’s Lady’s House-Book, 1850

excerpt from:
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edited by Deb Salisbury
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Mourning Advice in England: 1724

2009-05-11T20:48:00.004-05:00

December 12th, 1724 …I will answer Mrs. Carter’s questions about her mourning to you. I think her in the right in buying a white satin to top her black, for the reasons she gives me; but that she can only wear as a nightgown {informal day dress}, and if she was in town she should wear only mourning when she is dressed {formally}, but in the country that will not be minded, white gloves, coloured fan and coloured shoes, and edgings if she pleases, and black or white short apron and girdle, which she likes best. My mama must not wear black handkerchiefs with her second year’s mourning.
The Autobiography and Correspondence of Mrs. Delany, 1882

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Color of the Day - Italian pink

2009-05-10T18:04:00.002-05:00

Italian pink, 1835 – Dutch pink, English and Italian Pinks, are sufficiently absurd names of yellow colours prepared by dyeing, whitening, &c. with vegetal yellow tinctures, in the manner of rose pink, from which they borrow their name. They are bright yellow colours, extensively used in distemper and for paper-staining, and other ordinary purposes;
Chromatography, 1835

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Verdegrease

2009-05-09T22:42:00.002-05:00

Verdegrease, 1735 – grind it with the juice of rue and a little weak gum water, and you will have a moft pure green; if you would diaper with it grind it with lye of rue (or the decoction thereof) and it will make a hoary green. … It is a good Green, but fubject to decay; being dry upon paper, it will be of a higher colour than when firft laid on; …To dye a Verdegreafe-Green. Take water a fufficient quantity, make it as hot as you can endure your hand in it, in which put verdegreafe two ounces in fine powder;
Dictionarium Polygraphicum, 1735

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Color of the Day - Bois de rose

2009-05-09T15:51:00.002-05:00

Bois de rose, 1874 – One of the newest colors is called bois de rose; it is made in three shades, which are constantly used in one costume. The lightest shade is an unhealthy salmon; the middle shade reminds us more of raspberry ice-cream than anything else; and the darker shade is a rich claret. These shades will, of course, not be worn for street dresses, but for carriage, dinner, or watering-place toilets.
Godey's Lady's Book, June 1874

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Woad

2009-05-07T18:54:00.002-05:00

Woad, 1667 – Woad is made of a Weed, fown upon ftrong new-broken Land, perfectly cleered from all ftones and weeds, cut feveral times by the top leaves, then ground, or rather chopt with a peculiar Mill for that purpofe; which being done feveral times, is made up in Balls and dryed in the Sun; the dryer the year is, the better the Woad. Englifh Woad is counted the ftrongeft, it is commonly tryed by ftaining of white Paper with it, or a white Limed wall, and if the Colour be a French-green it is good. … The making and ufing of Woad, is one of the moft myfterious, nice, and hazardous operations in Dying: It is one of the moft lafting Colours that is Dyed: An intenfe Woad Colour is almost black, that is to fay, of a Damfon-colour; this Colour is the foundation of fo many others in its degree, that the Dyers have a certain Scale, or number of Stalls, whereby to compute the lightnefs and deepneft of this Colour.
History of the Royal-Society of London, 1667

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Color of the Day - Eosine

2009-05-06T20:06:00.001-05:00

Eosine – A new dye known under the name of Eosine has recently been added to the list of red dyes, …The word ‘Eosine’ signifies day-dawn, implying that the colour is that of the rosy hue of morning. On silk, the colour is that of the rose, but on wool it is scarlet.
Textile Colourist, November 1876

excerpt from:
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edited by Deb Salisbury
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Color of the Day - Settled Grief

2009-05-05T21:35:00.002-05:00

Settled Grief – “You wish to inspect some half-mourning, Madam? the second stage of distress? As such, allow me to recommend this satin – intended for grief when it has subsided; alleviated, you see, Ma’am, from a dead black to a dull lead color. It is a Parisian novelty, Ma’am, called ‘Settled Grief,’ and is very much worn by ladies of a certain age,”
Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, January 1853

excerpt from:
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edited by Deb Salisbury
Available at www.Mantua-Maker.com

Color of the Day - Cinder

2009-05-04T23:09:00.002-05:00

Cinder, 1668 – And if you will die your wooll of a Cinder colour, which is a very good colour, you fhall put your Red wooll into your puke Liquor; and then it will fail lefs to be of a Cinder colour.
A VVay to Get Wealth, 1668

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Color of the Day - Sanguine

2009-05-03T22:40:00.002-05:00

Sanguine, 1380 – The chief reds were scarlet, named by the Wife of Bath, &c.; sanguine, or crimson, and grain, imported from Portugal – i.e., “vermus or vermilion” – in fact cochineal, a red so fast and permanent that the word “ingrained” had become in the fourteenth century, and still remains, a general term for a fast colour of any kind.
Contemporary Review, September 1883

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Color of the Day - Grass green

2009-05-02T23:46:00.002-05:00

Grass green, 1872 – There are some bright greens which are becoming to the face, but only a few shades. I say bright in contradistinction to sage. A dull grass-green with a slight yellow tinge in it is a picturesque color, and often proves a success in a woollen day-dress, – some material, that is to say, without gloss. In silks or satins it is nearly as coarse and unpleasant as a pure bright green, innocent of any hint of blue or yellow; and when worn, as hundreds of women persist in wearing it, with a mass of scarlet, is so horrible as to give positive pain to a sensitive eye. In any concert-room or large assemblage a scarlet opera-cloak usually covers a green dress, and is capped by a green bow in the hair. One may count these unmakes by the dozen; and they arise from the generally-diffused milliners’ creed, that scarlet and emerald must go hand in hand, because green and red are complementaries. The vulgarity and disagreeableness of this mixture ought to be apparent to anybody with the very rudiments of artistic feeling.
Every Saturday, November 16, 1872

excerpt from:
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Color of the Day - Porreye

2009-05-01T23:33:00.005-05:00

Porreye, 1350 – Fr. Probably, leek-green colour, in cloth. In the Nominale of the 15th Cent. leeks are rendered ‘porray’. Stowe in his Survey mentions ‘medley brune and porre colour;’ which latter, however, he translates ‘purple.’ Lincoln, Kendal, Ghent, and Douai, were noted for their green cloths in the Middle Ages.
Liber Custumarum, 1860

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Color of the Day - Absinthe

2009-04-30T18:53:00.004-05:00

Absinthe, 1885 – The three new shades of green – cresson, chartreuse, and absinthe – have all a yellowish tint, and are consequently very trying to any complexions except those “whose red and white Nature’s own hand hath cunningly laid on.” These shades are mostly confined to millinery as yet, few being brave enough to appear in gowns of such trying hues.
Once a Month, September 15, 1885

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A review of "Shadow Song"

2009-02-21T10:33:00.005-06:00

"Shadow Song" by Lorina Stephens is a beautiful novel of historical fiction, very much in the British tradition.

The novel begins in 1830's England, but quickly moves to the wilds of Canada, and you can feel the author's love of this wild country and its native inhabitants.

The protagonist, Danielle Fleming, moves from an affluent life in England through trials which prepare her to withstand the harsh life in colonial Canada, and which open her to the beauties and the magic of the untamed forest. This is a story about growing up, in years as well as in wisdom. I don't want to say too much, as I don't want to give away any of the story. It is quite worth going on this journey for yourself.

This was a fascinating read. I couldn't put the novel down.

You can buy this novel at http://www.5rivers.org/, or at almost any online bookseller.

Why write a book about color?

2009-02-17T18:52:00.002-06:00

I started writing Elephant's Breath & London Smoke to fill in my own ignorance of colors, especially Victorian era color, but the more I researched, the more colors appeared that I had never heard of before. And in reading Victorian transcriptions of Elizabethan wills, I discovered colors I had never dreamed of. What was Gallant color? I could take a stab at Ratte color, but what was Sad color? Some colors, like Chesen, I could only guess at, but others, like Russet (which started out gray!) I could define with the help of dictionaries written in 1440 and 1530.

I read or skimmed thousands of books – my bibliography is 12 pages long of sources I used, and not everything I used (usually if I only pulled a single reference from it) is in there.

I own hundreds of Victorian magazines, and I started by going through them and writing down every color definition I could find. That did not satisfy my curiosity, so I began to look in Google books. Jackpot! Sort of – the Victorian era books in Google caused me to expand the scope of the project. At first I just read fashion magazines. Fun stuff, but short on definitions. That lead me to look for early books on color – which turned out to be books on fossils and mineralogy in general. Lots of definitions! I was beginning to see the light!

And then I stumbled on Victorian transcriptions of wills and inventories. I became addicted to pre-1600 wills. To my great frustration, most wills written before, oh, 1450, were written in Latin. But there is the occasional will in old English, or in a mix of Latin and English. While hunting for definitions of the colors found in the wills (what was New color?), I found transcriptions of a 1440 English-Latin dictionary and of a 1530 English-French dictionary. They weren’t always helpful, but they proved that certain colors were colors and not just fabric types.

My book is available from my publisher, at http://www.5rivers.org/ in Canada, or online from Barnes and Nobles, Amazon.com, and Books-a-Million.

A review by Sandy and Pierre Pettinger

2009-02-10T10:09:00.002-06:00

My sincere thanks to Sandy and Pierre for writing this review.

There is a wealth of sources for historical clothing and costume research. The variations in corsets, sleeves, skirts and jackets since the 16th century can be traced nearly to the year. Fashion reviews from the period are plentiful and not overly difficult to interpret.

But what do you make of a reference to an Abraham skirt with fauvre ribbon embellishments? Would you realize the skirt was a dingy yellow and the ribbons were deep yellow? Unlikely; and most sources would not be able to enlighten you. By dint of extensive research and library searches, you could probably find out, but the road would be difficult.

Elephant’s Breath & London Smoke helps address this difficulty. Historic costume researcher and pattern designer Deb Salisbury has collated references from hundreds of sources to produce this fascinating palette of colour names from the last 400 years.

She begins with the dictionary. Over 200 pages of color names and descriptions from Aaz (a red dye from India) to Zulu pink (a pale strawberry tinge). Dictionaries, of course, aren’t meant to be read straight through. But dipping into the entries a bit at a time and finding those gems of shade, pigment and language is a delight.

Deb also includes sections with commentary from various periods addressing colour and fashion, historical color names ( covering cloths, dyeing, make-up and even colours of horses and livery), colour symbolism and harmony of colour. It also touches on the conventions of mourning colors. These sections are wonderful to read. The words of the period are essential to understanding and appreciation of the fashions.

This book is a delight and an essential addition to any costume library.

And what are Elephant’s Breath and London Smoke? Well what would be the fun if we told you?

A review of my upcoming book

2009-01-18T17:55:00.002-06:00

Many thanks to Frances Grimble for reviewing my upcoming book!

The intriguingly titled Elephant's Breath and London Smoke: Historical Colour Names, Definitions & Uses is focused specifically on colors for textiles. This is indicated by the quotes selected, and implicit in the book's introduction.

It is a straightforward work. The editor, Deb Salisbury, has expended an astonishing amount of industry in combing public domain sources for references to color names. And there they are, 231 pages of quotes, alphabetized by color name, with the sources for the quotes at the end of each. Varying color definitions from contemporary fashion magazines, quotes from Victorian books on Renaissance fashions, mentions of colors with no definition: It's all there. There is no color in the book--no swatches--but in fact, there is no way anyone can reliably match an old color description to a color on a Pantone fan. The author provides 42 pages of longer quotes on colors, things such as Victorian discussions of which colors best suit various complexions and hair colors. She does not attempt to summarize trends in color fashions or in color naming (a different issue from color use, and closely related to textile and fashion marketing), nor does she provide a history of dyeing technology. This is clearly intended to be a dictionary, not an analytical work. Sixteen pages of bibliography are provided so that the reader can compare them to the sources listed in the quotes, judge for himself or herself whether the source is reliable, and seek further information.

In summary, this book could considerably shorten the search for definitions of color names by providing quotes from numerous sources--fashion magazines and fiction as well as dictionaries and encyclopedias--and of different dates.

---Frances Grimble

Lavolta Press

Beginning a new year ...

2009-01-02T10:32:00.006-06:00

My publisher gave me a New Year present - my first review for Elephant's Breath and London Smoke - and I am thrilled!

"Over the holiday season I received the manuscript for Elephant's Breath & London Smoke from Deb Salisbury, and I am simply stunned by the breadth, scope and monumental work of this book. I firmly believe it will become an indispensable reference tool for those interested in historical fashion and colour terminology, and I'll even go farther to say I believe Elephant's Breath & London Smoke will become synonymous with other great books such as those written by Janet Arnold, R.L. Shep and others. I cannot wait to release it."

She plans to release it in February. Her website is http://www.5rivers.org/ - please have a look!

I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year celebration.

Peace and Joy

2008-12-25T11:13:00.003-06:00

I wish everyone peace and joy for the upcoming year.

...

Off to the Publisher!

2008-12-18T21:40:00.004-06:00

I finally got my book off to the Publisher.

Elephant's Breath and London Smoke:

Historical Color Names, Definitions, and Uses

It is a Dictionary of Colors - in the words of writers from each era, from Chaucer up to around 1920. It is mostly geared toward color in fashion and in dyeing and painting, but it takes definitions of colors from any source. I even have listings that define what that color means in an aura.

Plus I've added sections on: Advice for what colors to wear, Mourning colors, Horses' colors, and comments on colors, including the restrictions on colors in the Statutes in the 1550's.

I also made a list of the Elizabethan colours I found in wills and inventories that weren't on the approved lists.

I wrote the introduction, but almost everything else is from original sources or Victorian transcriptions (and interpretations) with each source noted after the listing. This is a serious resource for historians, costumers, and everyone who enjoys color!

See my website for more information,
http://www.mantua-maker.com/
or go to http://www.5rivers.org/.

Advance Order Discount on Two New Books

2008-12-03T21:45:00.004-06:00

The publisher of my book, Elephant’s Breath & London Smoke: Historical Colour Names, Definitions & Uses, is offering a 25% advance order discount on two new books in her stable. The other book is How to Write a Non-fiction Book in 60 Days, by Paul Lima. 60 Days will be available early in the new year; Elephant’s Breath will be available in the spring of ‘09. While you can buy 60 Days now through Paul's web site and print on demand company, if you can wait until the new year and want the discount, put in your advance order through Five Rivers Chapmanry.

How to Write a Non-fiction Book in 60 Days, by Paul Lima. $14.95 (order before Christmas to receive a 25% discount). ISBN 978-0-9739278-4-9. 6 x 9 Trade Paperback. Release date: January 1, 2009

In the New Year, How to Write a Non-fiction Book in 60 Days will be available through online booksellers internationally, as well as select bookstores in Ontario.The title says it all. The book will show you how to create a detailed, chapter-by-chapter outline and how to write each chapter from point to point. In addition, the book includes two bonus chapters: one on self-publishing and one on constructing effective sentences and paragraphs.

Coming in Spring of 2009!

2008-11-27T11:24:00.004-06:00

Have you ever read about a Victorian dress, and wondered:

“What color, exactly, is heliotrope?”

Did you ever read an Elizabethan novel and say:

“Did anyone really wear Puke?”

When Chaucer wrote: “his eyen bright citrin” –

did you wonder about what color is citrin?

Have you wondered when aniline dyes were invented,

how indigo was used, or how black fabric was dyed?

Perhaps you have wondered when the color London Smoke was used,

or when Eiffel red was invented.

Here is the book to tell you!

Elephant’s Breath

and

London Smoke

Historical Color Names,

Definitions, and Uses

This book will tell you about color in history – the names of colors, when they were used, how they were used, what they looked like, and where they came from. There are dye recipes, paint ingredients, poetic language and general commentary – all in the words of period writers.

You will learn about mourning colors, the effects of artificial light on color, advice on what colors to wear, the colors found in cosmetics and theatrical make-up, and the names of the colors of horses. You can read about symbolism in colors, heraldic colors, and complaints about the names of colors.

I have perused fashion magazines, books of dye recipes, art books, painter’s manuals, mineralogy guides, tomes on color theory, metaphysical texts, poetry and fiction, but especially period dictionaries and encyclopedias. Any resource that might give a hint on what a color looked like or how it may have been used was fair game, from Chaucer to Chemistry Journals.

Most of the entries were printed in English, American, Canadian and Australian publications from around 1380 to 1922. Because, French was the language of fashion, many of the English terms are French words. I have tried to explain those colors, too.

This dictionary endeavors to define color names in the words of the English speaking people who used those colors. It is especially aimed at women’s fashion, but artists will also find it useful.

If you are curious about color, you will want this book!

Available in the spring of 2009

The Recipe for Puke!

2008-11-03T09:15:00.004-06:00

I am so thrilled! I found the recipe for Puke!

Oh, you think I am insane? Well, only a little. You see, Puke was a color used during Elizabethan times. The first Elizabeth, mind you.

Now I've been hunting and hunting for a good, period definition of Puke. It is *not* Puce - that term was invented around 1775. Puke seems to have been a dark, russet black or gray. I haven't found a clear description, but I did find a dye recipe, and I am elated!

The reason I've been hunting for Puke and Puce, Musk and Murrey, and many other colors, is that I am in the final stages of compiling a dictionary of colors in history, called:

Elephant's Breath and London Smoke:

Historical Color Names, Definitions, and Uses.

It will be published by Five Rivers in the spring, so I'd best get back to work and get it finished!

Interview with Lorina Stephens

2008-08-23T23:21:00.004-05:00

Last week our four-week virtual book tour made a stop at Ferret Fabricates, the internet home of Ferret, a remarkably talented textile artist who continually pushes the boundaries of quilting and quilt-design. Week two was hosted by David Robertson, who not only has a presence at e-webincome, but at his artisan blacksmithing site, which is very much worth a visit. The tour launched at Paul Lima’s blog August 3, 2008.

Q: Last fall you released Shadow Song, a historical fantasy set in Upper Canada during the 1830s. How has it been received?

A: I’m pleased with how it’s been received. It’s out-selling Recipes of a Dumb Housewife, and has received some good reviews, in particular from Dan Pelton at the Orangeville Citizen and from Meg Mathur, Online Merchandising Manager at Indigo Books. People seem to be interested in the fact it’s based in part on an actual tragedy that occurred in the village of Hornings Mills, and also seem to be interested in the fact it’s written by a Canadian about Canada.

Q: I understand you’re about to release a new book. Can you tell us about it?

A: In September I’ll launch an anthology of speculative short fiction, entitled And the Angels Sang. There are 17 stories, from dystopia to utopia, written over the past 25 years. Some stories have appeared previously in publications such as On Spec and Sword & Sorceress X, while some make their debut. I chose to divide the anthology into two sections to easily separate the more fantastical from the speculative.

Q: Do you have any personal favourites?

A: I do indeed. The cover story, of course, which is a speculative piece that examines what the last moments of Father Jean de Brébeuf’s life might have been like. I wanted very much to create a stream-of-consciousness feeling, a surreal quality, combined with what was clearly Brebeuf’s own devotion to not only his God, but the people he came to serve.

On a lighter side I’ve always loved For a Cup of Tea, which appeared in On Spec, the winter issue of 1995. That was such a fun piece to write. It’s a fantastical alternative history of the famed race between Cutty Sark and Thermopylae, two of the great clippers of the 19th century. I love the romance of the age of sail, the danger and skill that surrounded the men who rode the sea for profit and country.

The other story I like, which perhaps shows my twisted sense of humour, is Dragonslayer. It’s an irreverent romp and complete spoof. The anthology for which the story was targeted was an examination of what happened to all the fantasy heroes after the wars were over. I’m afraid I didn’t approach the subject with sufficient seriousness, because the story was not only rejected, but received incendiary comment regarding its chauvinistic, sexist, degrading tone. All I could envision was some swaggering archetype reduced to selling life insurance (no offence to insurance salespeople). It just seemed the ultimate irony. But plainly not that editor’s vision.

Q: Where will you launch And the Angels Sang?

A: The staff at Coles, Orangeville Mall has been kind enough to invite me back, although whether the book launch will take place Saturday, September 27, or October 25 is unclear at this point. More information will soon be available at my blog. You can still take advantage of the pre-order sale I have available.

You’ll also be able to purchase copies in select stores, as well as online from Chapters and other major online retailers worldwide like Amazon and W.H. Smith. You can also purchase directly from me through my website if you wish a signed copy.

After the launch in Orangeville I’ll be appearing at other book stores in the Indigo/Chapters chain throughout southern Ontario.

Q: Nothing in December or the winter?

A: I don’t usually travel during the heavy winter months. Living where we do the weather is a bit unpredictable. My touring season usually starts in March. But it you ‘d like to arrange a speaking engagement, lecture or book signing, by all means contact me and we’ll see what we can arrange.

Q: What’s next on the agenda for you?

A: I’m currently working on a new fantasy novel, From Mountains of Ice. It has a definite Italian milieu; I suppose harking back to my own roots. And there is a definite overtone of reverence toward ancestors and preoccupation with death and mourning rituals, although I wouldn’t say the novel is morbid. In fact, the novel deals primarily with a man’s loss of honour and his attempt to regain that honour, while examining what honour is, exactly.

Hopefully I’ll have the first draft finished by the close of the year or shortly thereafter, and then set to the tedious but exacting task of revision and editing. If Mr. Murphy refrains from taking tea, I may have the novel ready for release in the fall of 2009. If not then for sure the following spring or fall.

This concludes our four week Virtual Book Tour. Thank you for being part of it. To stay up to date with Lorina’s activities, visit her at her website or blog.

New Victorian Overskirt Pattern

2008-08-22T08:56:00.004-05:00

I finally managed to take picures of my new overskirt (we are replastering the inside of my house, but that is another story).

This skirt is named after my mom, Dona. In Spanish, Doña means lady or noblewoman, and Madre means mother, so I thought it was very appropriate.

1870 – 1890

Doña Madre

Overskirt

#1880-17

Ideal as a dressy overskirt for

any occasion.
Based on patterns from period sources.
Includes the full text of the original instructions.
Directions for many different styles of draperies.
This pattern has adaptations for the 1883 - 1887 aggressive bustle.
Variations and decoration ideas are included.
Foundation skirt is not included.

All sizes Petite - Full are included.
Price $12

Please have a look at more photos at

http://www.mantua-maker.com/new_victorian_patterns.html

A Mantua-Maker Milestone!

2008-08-04T10:13:00.006-05:00

The Mantua-Maker has hit a new milestone. For the first time, I have had 100 orders in a single year! I added a PayPal shopping cart in January, and sales have soared. Thank you Lorina Stephens for talking me into wrestling with my website builder!

Speaking of Lorina, she is having a virtual book tour for her excellent novel, Shadow Song. You can read the first installment, an interview with Lorina Stephens by Paul Lima at:

http://paullima.com/blog/?p=209

How to clean fur - in 1907

2008-07-29T15:31:00.007-05:00

An acquaintance needs to clean her white fur, and while researching, I came across a fascinating technique. Not one I would care to try, mind you, but fascinating just the same.

Here is the advice from "The Complete Dressmaker", published in 1907:

CLEANING FUR

The dark furs, such as seal, mink, sable, etc., respond to mahogany or fine cedar sawdust as a cleanser. These may be purchased from any furrier. Place the fur on a table with the hairy side up and rub sawdust in by the handful. Use plenty of sawdust and rub vigorously. Shake the fur over the table to save the sawdust that fall, as it can be used again. Turn the fur with the hair side down on large pillows according to the size of the garment; beat it well with a switch. Shake the pillows occasionally and continue beating until all the sawdust is removed. White furs are cleaned in a similar fashion with corn meal.

Here is the furriest photo I could find at the moment. She is one of a pair Rat Masks, made for a BayCon many, many years ago. I still like the masks, the paws, tail, and feet, but the rest of the costumes were rather pathetic. I hadn't started doing any historical research at that point. When I look back, I cringe. Someday I need to make some new clothes for my Rodents.

Updating my website - again

2008-07-25T16:58:00.004-05:00

I decided that the Mantua-Maker website is entirely too boring, so I fussed and fussed - and undid every change I made.

So I started over again. Now I have changed the navagation bar. I like the effect *much* better. Have a look at www.mantua-maker.com and tell me what you think.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

As the polonaise turns ...

2008-07-21T15:24:00.003-05:00

Test and retest and retest ... That is my motto. Sometimes I feel rather slow, though.

Slow point number 1: Why did I decide to entirely redraft this pattern rather than start with one that works?

Slow point number 2: It's not the back seam, dummy, it's the whole armhole. Back to the drawing board.

Still, something rather wonderful happened this week. We had a rainbow in the middle of a thunderstorm! I want to share it with you, or at least, share the best photo I could manage.

Business stuff:

Sometimes people ask if the seam allowance is included in my patterns. Yes, it is! It is 1/2" unless otherwise noted. Happy sewing!

Next pattern in line - Sunset Knoll Polonaise

2008-07-17T14:45:00.005-05:00

I've been testing - and retesting - my next pattern, a polonaise which can be worn plain as a redingote, or as a fully draped evening gown, with a loose front Tea Gown option. I've had a little trouble with the side back seam, but I think I have it resolved. The instructions have gone off to be proofed, and I'm *hoping* she will want to make it up, too, but I know she has several projects on a short time line.

I *really* want to make this pattern available soon, so I need a volunteer or two to make it.

I offer your choice of one of my patterns as a reward for testing this pattern within a month. Please contact me at deb@mantua-maker.com if you are interested.

Here is the *original* prototype of this pattern, started many years ago. For various reasons, the whole project languished on a shelf after this dress was made. For those of you who remember the Centaur Bustle Dress at Costume Con 23, it was known as "After the Masquerade".

Skirt Pattern Repairs are made.

2008-07-14T11:47:00.005-05:00

I have been working with the printers, and all of the repairs on the text are finished. So, next time I am able to get to the printers, I will have another new pattern.

I'll be able to ship them on Monday 7/21/08. Now the details:

1880-19

1870 – 1890

Broadway Walking Skirt

Ideal as a dressy skirt for:
Walking, visiting, reception, dinner or dancing.
Based on a tissue pattern issued

by Butterick in May, 1880.
Includes the full text of the cover sheet.
This pattern has adaptations for

the 1879 - 1881 narrow skirts
and the 1883 - 1887 aggressive bustle.
Variations included.

The foundation skirt is not included.

Sizes Petite - Full.

Price: $16

Trials and Tribulations on the new pattern

2008-07-11T10:22:00.005-05:00

Well, the new pattern has come back from the printers, and it has a cosmetic problem. The text on some places has slid around. Not everywhere, mind you, just here and there.

Now this is a side effect of my new collaboration with the printers. Instead of printing them out at 1/4 scale on my "new" printer (*don't* buy a cheap Dell printer, even though they *say* the output is good), and having the printers enlarge it, flaws and all, I now email the patterns to the printers full scale. The problem is, what shows on my screen is *not* what prints out, though only the text is affected. Scaling problems, software differences.

So, even when I *think* I have everything fixed, I don't. Sigh. Five copies down the drain. I'm considering offering them to my website customers at the wholesale discount, just so I don't throw them away.

Anyone have an opinion?

My new walking skirt pattern is at the printers!

2008-07-10T11:47:00.009-05:00

As I write, my newest pattern is at the printers!

1870 -1890

Broadway Walking Skirt

I am very pleased with the way it turned out. The only thing I would have done differerently is face the scallops, instead of hemming them. The hemmed curves simply did not come out as smoothly as I liked, even though I hemmed it by hand. Of course, my hands are old and tired, but not that bad! So I have added a facing option to the pattern, which will be faster than hemming, and almost as fast as binding the edges.

This pattern is based on a tissue pattern issued by Butterick in May, 1880. I have placed the full text of the cover sheet at the end of my instructions. The writing is tiny and blurred with a smeared stamp and age marks. The instructions assume you know exactly what you are doing, and none of the pre-cut pattern pieces are labeled.

A walking skirt is a skirt of “walking length”, which means that it does not have a train, and that it is raised above the ground – at least slightly. The distance from the ground depended on current fashion

New Victorian bodice pattern from the Mantua-Maker!

2008-07-06T15:38:00.004-05:00

I wish to announce that I have a new pattern finished!

It is now available for pre-orders, to be shipped 7/14/08.

#1880-26
1875 - 1890
Brandy City Bodice

A fashionable everyday bodice.

The bodice may be fitted

or in the Blouse Bodice style.

The lower front may be full length,

opened or closed.

Or it may be draped up,

or cut away in several styles.
The back may be pleated,

gathered, or shirred.

Two lengths coat style sleeves.

Many historical references

and decoration ideas.

Sized 2 - 30, all included.

Price: $22

The photos are of the blouse front version.

Front Photo -- Artwork by Lorina Stephens

Back Photo -- Variations Drawing

To order, please go to http://www.mantua-maker.com/

Why should I make a mock-up?

2008-07-05T23:20:00.005-05:00

Everyone's body is different. The patterns are created to "fit" as many people as possible - but that so-called fit happens because seam allowances are a little wide on the front, back and side seams; or the darts are marked as suggestions only, not as hard-and-fast rules; or the gussets can be exchanged for larger or smaller ones. Or what I consider a size 10 might be what you consider a size 6 or size 16. I don't want you to waste expensive fabric if we are not communicating perfectly.

Also, some of the sewing techniques can be a bit tricky the first
time(s) you try them. With practice they'll work fine, but the first time you put in a gusset, you may not be too happy with me.

Sometimes the way a garment fit historically may not make you happy. The prime example is my Regency corset. These stays are intended to have a VERY wide gap in the back. This upsets some people. If you know it seems too wide from the mock-up, you can widen the back panel. --- Or the bust gussets seem too small, so you use the wider ones. Then you'll discover in your mock-up that the wide gussets don't give you the support you need.

You can often use the mock-up as the lining or interlining of your garment. So if it fits, you haven't really lost anything!

These are photos of the mock-ups for my new pattern,
the Camargo Sash Bustle Drapery.

Vote in my colors poll.

2008-07-02T11:56:00.005-05:00

I have been collecting Victorian color names and definitions from Victorian (and a few years after) sources. An acquaintance asked about the meaning of a color name recently, and it occurred to me that others might be interested in my list.

So, kindly take a moment to vote in my poll, and tell me if it will be worth the trouble of putting several pages of color names and definitions and sources on my website.

Just to brighten up my page, here is a photo of my late Victorian corset.

Deb Salisbury, The Mantua-Maker

A few costuming links

More costuming links

Links to Photos from Costume Con 28

Now on Kindle

A little about me ...

from the Vassar College Costume Collection

Bonnet Workshop on May 2, 2010

A new review of Elephant's Breath & London Smoke

Tartans and costumes

Fun award and an amazing 1906 video

Another review for Elephant's Breath & London Smoke

Georgian Stays - links

New Reviews on EBLS

December issue of YIPE!

Giveaway Winners!

Giveaway ends soon!

Interesting links

Color of the Day - Alexandra blue

Book Giveaway

Introducing - Yipe!: the Costume Fanzine of Record

The Mantua-Maker in Creative Machine Embroidery

Blog posts for writers

Etsy Corsetry Guild

More on spider-silk cloth

Spider silk

Color of the Day - Turquoise

Color of the Day - Royal grene

Renaissance Corset Making Class in Houston TX

Color of the Day - Milk and water

#11 in books on fashion at Amazon

Wool Export Colours in 1747

Color of the Day - Coralline

In the reign of Elizabeth I

Color of the Day - Popinjay

Color of the Day - Scarlet

Should You Consider Submitting to a Micro-Publisher?

Color of the Day - Mordoré

Color of the Day - Black and Dyers Black

Color of the Day - Proserpine

Color of the Day - Claie

Colour Language: 1904

Aniline dye, 1876

Color of the Day - Sage

Color of the Day - Claret

Color of the Day - Antwerp blue

Color of the Day - Khaki

Color of the Day - Abraham

Color of the Day - Electrum

Color of the Day - Venetian scarlet

Color of the Day - Nuage

Color of the Day - Raymond blue

Color of the Day - Mouse

Now available through Expresso

Color of the Day - Liard

Color of the Day - Dry rose

Color of the Day - Yellow

Advice from 1872

Color of the Day - Heliotrope

Color of the Day - Tuly

Color of the Day - Bayard

Color of the Day - Mummy

Complaints about colors from 1892

Color of the Day - Judas

Color of the Day - Scheele’s green

Color of the Day - Cinnamon

Mourning Advice in England: 1724

Color of the Day - Italian pink

Color of the Day - Verdegrease

Color of the Day - Bois de rose

Color of the Day - Woad

Color of the Day - Eosine

Color of the Day - Settled Grief

Color of the Day - Cinder

Color of the Day - Sanguine

Color of the Day - Grass green

Color of the Day - Porreye

Color of the Day - Absinthe

A review of "Shadow Song"

Why write a book about color?