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Research>Pattern Tailors Books>Polish
MS
A Polish Tailor's Manuscript from the LA County Museum
of Art -
I have this friend who is both incredibly personable and
persuasive. About December of 1999, he struck up a contact
with some folks in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
and learned that the museum housed a Polish Tailor's pattern
book. One thing led to another and in February 2000 he and
I were allowed access to this pattern book. We were not allowed
to take pictures so I came armed with sketch book and pencil.
We were officially given about an hour to look at the manuscript
but the folks at the Museum were so nice that we actually
got a bit more time than that.
The manuscript is small... its dimensions are approximately
6" X 8" (I didn't bring a ruler). It was in text
block form, having been bound but not covered. There were
11 folios with 9 pages of patterns, two pages of writing,
and several blank pages. It appeared that there were actually
two sections of the book, one section containing 7 folios
sewn together and the second section containing the remaining
4 folios sewn together. These two sections were then attached.
The binding looked to be a waxy linen thread and the pages
themselves were a light greay parchment. The drawings and
writing were in a dark brown/black ink (presumably the ink
has faded and the pages have darkened with age). The book
was not printed but is actually cursive written and sketched.
The provenence of the book states that it is a Polish Tailor's
Cutting Guide from Germany, Breslau 1567, AC 1992.243.1.
The small manuscript begins with a drawing of two men. The
gentleman on the left of the drawing is wearing pluderhose
to mid thigh, stockings, doublet and codpiece. He has fitted
sleeves and a tall hat. The gentleman on the right is wearing
"pumpkin" pants, hose, tall soft boots, a doublet,
cod piece, tight sleeves and a loaf hat.
Based on the few patterns contained in the manuscript and
comparison of this manuscript with some of the spanish texts,
it's my theory that this manuscript is actually a journeyman's
pattern book. Without translating the writing and further
analysis, however, this is only a theory.
| Commentary |
f1.3a - Pattern 1
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| This appears to be patterns for a hood
and breeches. |
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f1.4a - Pattern 2
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| This appears to be a pattern for the classic
German cassock. |
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f1.5a - Pattern 3
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| I think this
is a saddle trapping of some sort... just a wild guess... |
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f1.6a - Pattern 4
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| Another pattern
for a hood. |
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f1.7a - Pattern 5
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| This looks like
a pattern for a caftan or an ecclesiastical garment. |
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f2.1a - Pattern 6
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| This appears
to be a pattern for a cape. |
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f2.2a - Pattern 7
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| Another pattern
for a cape. Notice the small squiggly thing located in
the lower left hand corner. In the manuscript it looked
much like a hook or clasp. |
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f2.3a - Pattern 8
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| Based on the
position it occuppied in the manuscript and comparing
it to various spanish patterns for the same type of garment,
I am theorizing that this is a pattern for a woman's robe
or surcoat. |
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f2.4b - Pattern 9
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| This appears
to be a pattern for a shirt. The various lines suggest
piecing up from scraps or "cabbage". However,
this is only a guess. |
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