Cigarette Silks! written by Lauren Klamm Once a highly popular fad, cigarette silks were collectible printed squares tucked into cigarette packs. Used as a marketing tool, the images ran the gamut from national flags, famous art pieces to nobility and, even religious iconography. These small squares were, called “silks”, but are actually printed, or woven, […]
Jean Pierre Le Mayeur Buckskin Hunting Jacket
By Kaitlyn Munro Last spring we conserved a stunning buckskin hunting jacket for The Valentine Museum, Richmond, Virginia. Go check it out in their current fashion exhibit The Virginia Man: Respect, Responsibility, Rebellion until January 29, 2017. But first, a little history about the gentleman (a fascinating man we might add!) who wore this jacket long […]
Indonesia’s Batik Maestro: Iwan Tirta (1935–2010)
As many friends and colleagues know, I am working on a book about Iwan Tirta, and the fabulous collection of his batik wall hangings owned by the American Embassy Jakarta. The wall hangings were probably acquired for the Embassy between 1973–1985. They are bold, colorful, enlarged Javanese batik motifs such as singa lion, flowers, phoenix, […]
Secrets of the Infantry Hunting Horn
By Kaitlyn Munro Even after working a long time—and intimately on a textile—there are often new and fascinating discoveries. We are nearing the completion of an extensive conservation treatment of an 1832 US Infantry Officer’s dress coatee. And here is what we found: At the bottom of the coat tails, there are a pair of lovely […]
Fit for a Queen: Remarkable Restoration, Exquisite Embroidery & Innovative Invisible Mannequins
In Celebration of Her Majesty’s 7th cycle Birthday 2016 July is always a busy month at the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles in Bangkok, as annual preparations take place for Her Majesty’s August birthday. This year was a big one—7 cycles of 12 is very auspicious and the museum pulled out all the stops. Two new […]
The ‘Lesage’ of Lao: Master Tiao Somsanith
I recently met Tiao Nithakhong Somsanith at the 5th International Conference on Lao Studies, in Bangkok. He transformed a drab classroom into a sacred space—golden embroideries of the Buddha, lace-like stencils of angels hovering like snowflakes on the windows overlooking the Chao Praya river, and an aura of the timelessness that imbues these ancient arts. Amongst […]
Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles’ Second Symposium: 8–13 January 2017
The Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles’ second symposium will explore the broad subject of cultural exchange through dress and textiles. The meeting is held in conjunction with the ICOM Costume Committee, but non-ICOM members are welcome both as speakers and symposium attendees. Papers may address any aspect of the conference theme, and should be 20 […]
Imitation, the sincerest form of flattery – Skala Thread.
By Lauren Klamm From the warp and weft deftly woven to create textiles, to the twisted fibers holding together our clothes, thread is constantly keeping us together. In conservation, thread is carefully chosen to fit the unique challenges and specific goals of every project. We greatly depend on threads to achieve the most durable, protected […]
Shakespeare’s Ideal: Conserving Ada Rehan’s Viola Costume
By Kaitlyn Munro We recently had the pleasure of conserving and preparing a beautiful old stage costume for the Folger Shakespeare Library’s upcoming exhibit: America’s Shakespeare. A reproduction of an 18th c style suit, this costume strives to be as sumptuous and elegant as it’s inspirations. The mauve and maroon cut velvet maple leaf pattern, surely […]
Puppet Masters: Conservation in Miniature
In the first partnership of its kind, I led the The Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles in Bangkok and the Taiyuan Asian Puppet Museum in Taipei for a puppet textile conservation training workshop. In the lively one-week session, conservators Nuchada Piranprasankit and Yaowalak Bunnag, from the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, and I trained staff […]
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