Silken Collection

Tunisian woman with elaborate coin necklace
Tunisian woman with elaborate necklace made of many strings of coins with holes in the middle, metal bangles, thin silken clothing and a pointed hat

Lecture on Stephen Grays discoveries in electricity
A lecture at the Charterhouse, London on Stephen Grays discoveries in electricity. In the early eighteenth century, Gray demonstrated that charges of electricity could be conducted by some materials

Raydechene Fabrics
Half-page advertisement for Raydechene Fabrics depicting a fashionable lady in a Raydechene silken fabric Date: 1928

Mdlle J. H
A portrait oil painting of a young lady, known only as Mademoiselle J. H. wearing a green silken bathrobe whilst seated at her dressing table, plaiting her hair in the mirror. Date: circa 1921

Girl Reading, 1878 (oil on canvas)
2967744 Girl Reading, 1878 (oil on canvas) by Perugini, Charles Edward (1839-1918); 98x73 cm; Manchester Art Gallery, UK; © Manchester Art Gallery

Inro carrying case, Edo Period (1603-1867) (lacquer)
XBP236191 Inro carrying case, Edo Period (1603-1867) (lacquer) by Japanese School; 8.3x7.6 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: vessel to hold seals, medicine)

Lackey moth, Malacosoma neustria, and caterpillar in silken tent on leaf. Handcoloured copperplate engraving drawn and etched by Jacob l Admiral in Naauwkeurige Waarneemingen omtrent de veranderingen

Hark! hark! the dogs bark (colour litho)
3631201 Hark! hark! the dogs bark (colour litho) by Greenaway, Kate (1846-1901) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Hark! hark! the dogs bark)

The Water Spider and Its Diving Bell (colour litho)
5210969 The Water Spider and Its Diving Bell (colour litho) by Twidle, Arthur (1865-1936); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Water Spider and Its Diving Bell)

The fairies bound me with their silken chains
A little girl in a red dress and with a huge bow in her hair is bound up with ribbons by a group of mischievous looking pixies, elves and fairies

Zelica, a character in Lalla Rookh by Thomas Moore
Zelica - But there was one, among the chosen Maids, Who d blush d behind the gallerys silken shades - a character in The Veiled Prophet, Lalla Rookh, a long narrative poem by Thomas Moore

Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna of Russia (18971918) - the second daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last monarch of Russia, and of Tsarina Alexandra. Date: circa 1916

China - High Class lady - Studio Portrait holding fan, standing in front of a very elaborate painted backdrop. Date: circa 1906

Celanese Nightgown 1944
A glamorous yet inexpensive nightgown in Celeanese artificial silk, makes good use of coupons. This model has a softly gathered bodice, gored skirt & ribbon bow trim Date: 1944

Harrods advertisement - page boy outfit for a wedding
Advertisement for a page boy outfit, perfect for the 1938 wedding season, though bound to mentally scar the wearer for decades to come

Boyaryshnya - Boyar Wife - Russia
A Boyaryshnya - A Boyar (high ranking) Woman in a fine and expensive silken gown. Date: 1900

Canoes and kayaks on the shoreline of Lake Sunapee at sunrise at Mount Sunapee State Park in Newbury, New Hampshire

Oak Processionary Moth (Thaumetopoea processionea) caterpillars, in communal silk tent on oak tree, Dolomites, Italian Alps, Italy, June

Gorse Spider Mite (Tetranychus lintearius) mass in protective silk web on gorse, Dartmoor, Devon, England, July

European Cave Spider (Meta menardi) adult, with silk thread in ochre stained limestone cave, Somerset, England, March

Lackey Moth (Malacosoma neustria) caterpillar, on silken tent, St. Davids Head, Pembrokeshire, Wales, May

Bluebottle (Calliphora vomitoria) adult, trapped in silken thread from spider web, in garden, Leicestershire, England, July

Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) caterpillars, group in web on Devil s-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) foodplant in rhos pasture, Welsh Moor Nature Reserve, Gower Peninsula, West Glamorgan

Spindle Ermine (Yponomeuta cagnagella) caterpillars, in silk web on European Spindle (Euonymus europaeus) bush in ancient woodland, Alun Valley, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales, May

Silver-sided Sector Spider (Zygiella x-notata) adult male, building web in garden, Belvedere, Bexley, Kent, England, august

Lackey Moth (Malacosoma neustria) caterpillars, on silken tent covering cone, Vercors, Rhone-Alpes, France, may

Garden Orb-weaving Spider (Eriophora biapicata) adult female, weaving web around twigs, Western Australia, Australia

Brown-tail Moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea) caterpillars, in woven silk tent on Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) hedge, Bacton, Suffolk, England, april

Small Eggar (Eriogaster lanestris) caterpillars, in woven silk tent, Dorset, England, may

Dew covered gossamer in field, silk left by numerous ballooning spiders, Italy, november

Giant Fishing Spider (Ancylometes sp. ) adult pair, mating, male binding legs of female with silk before mating in
Giant Fishing Spider (Ancylometes sp.) adult pair, mating, male binding legs of female with silk before mating in behaviour called bridal bondage, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Dew on labyrinth spiders web (Agelena labyrinthica) in a gorse bush. Photographed in Dorset, UK

Labyrinth spider (Agelena labyrinthica)

Chrysalis infected with parasitic larvae. Chrysalis of the small tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae) with a thin thread extending from it

Chrysalise infected with parasitic larvae
Chrysalises infected with parasitic larvae. Chrysalises of the small tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae) with thin threads extending from them

Woman seated in evening dress
Woman seated wearing a long silken evening dress. Pen & Ink (with wash) study by Raymond Sheppard

Hark, the Dogs do Bark
Some in rags and some in tags and some in silken gowns the beggars come to town but these two girls keep a prudent distance while their dog barks protectively

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Silken threads of history and culture intertwine as a Tunisian woman adorns herself with an elaborate coin necklace, each jingling trinket representing a story untold. In the background, a lecture on Stephen Gray's groundbreaking discoveries in electricity captivates the minds of eager students, sparking curiosity and innovation. Amidst this tapestry of knowledge and tradition, Raydechene Fabrics weaves its magic, creating exquisite textiles that embody elegance and luxury. Mdlle J. H. , dressed in her finest silken gown, exudes grace as she gazes into the distance with an air of mystery. In another corner of this diverse collection lies "Girl Reading, " a mesmerizing oil painting from 1878. The artist captures not only the beauty of youth but also the power held within books' pages to transport us to different worlds. Zelica emerges from Thomas Moore's epic poem "Lalla Rookh, " her silken robes billowing behind her as she embarks on a journey filled with love and adventure. A lacquered Edo Period inro carrying case holds secrets unknown to us today but cherished by its previous owner. Nature too finds solace within these captions; the Lackey moth spreads its wings delicately while its caterpillar counterpart munches away at leaves nearby. Hark. Hark. The dogs bark echoes through time via a vibrant color lithograph capturing moments lost yet preserved forever. The Funeral of St Edward the Confessor transports us back to January 5th, 1066 - solemnity draped in silk mourning attire pays homage to an era long gone but still remembered through engravings etched into our collective memory. And finally, amidst all these tales unfolds "The Water Spider and Its Diving Bell. " This colorful lithograph reminds us that even nature's smallest creatures possess ingenuity beyond measure – their delicate webs serving as both home and sanctuary beneath the water's surface.