Artifact: Petticoat with check backing
Materials: Check wool backing on tabby silk
Dimensions: OL: 35"; Waist: 31 1/2"
Date: 1760-1790
Origin: Europe
Collection: Image Courtesy of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
License: All rights reserved
Ledger Entry: Check
Department: Textile
Customer: Mary Sarbuck
Ledger Page: 19
Imported From: Check was produced in British production centers, such as Manchester.
Product Description
The name check refers to the checkered pattern created by weaving contrasting warp and weft colors. It was made with any variety of fibers, and therefore it's weight and durability varied. It was used for bed covers, curtains, upholstery, and clothing.
Citation: Florence M. Montgomery. Textiles in America, 1650-1870 : a Dictionary Based on Original Documents : Prints and Paintings, Commercial Records, American Merchants' Papers, Shopkeepers' Advertisements, and Pattern Books with Original Swatches of Cloth. (New York :Norton, 1984);
Historical Price: 16 pence per yard; Modern USD: $15
Product Variations
The databases record thirty-five purchases of check. It is primarily qualified by the width of the fabric and sold by the yard. The prices range from seven pence to fifteen shillings and five pence for 7/8 width check. This wide range is possibly because check refers to the checkered pattern and not the materials used to make it which could vary greatly in type and cost.
