English & American Textiles 1790-Present 1989

📖 English and American Textiles: From 1790 to the Present by Mary Schoeser and Celia Rufey (1989, Thames and Hudson) — a comprehensive illustrated survey documenting two centuries of furnishing textile design across England and America. This first US edition features 405 illustrations, 333 in color, covering chintzes, damasks, crewelwork, chenilles, and every major decorative textile tradition from the Regency era through the late twentieth century.

QUICK FACTS

• Authors: Mary Schoeser (b. 1950), internationally respected textile historian and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Victoria and Albert Museum; Celia Rufey, textile writer and contributor to Country Life, Homes and Gardens, and Good Housekeeping
• Publisher: Thames and Hudson Inc., New York (500 Fifth Avenue)
• Year: 1989 — First US Edition, First Printing
• Format: Hardcover in dust jacket
• Pages: 256 | ISBN: 0-500-01473-6 (ISBN-13: 978-0-500-01473-8)
• Condition: Book: Very Good+ (VG+) / Jacket: Very Good- (VG-) — full report below
• Design: Harold Bartram; picture research by Susan Bolsom-Morris
• Printing: Toppan Ltd, Singapore

THE STORY

Written during a period of growing interest in authentic period interiors, this book traces the evolution of furnishing textiles from the industrial revolution’s impact on handloom weaving through the mass production innovations of the twentieth century. Schoeser, a leading authority on textile history with over four decades of museum collaborations, pairs with Rufey’s deep knowledge of practical interior decoration to create a work that serves equally as academic reference and visual inspiration.

THIS EDITION

This is the first US edition, published by Thames and Hudson’s New York imprint in 1989. The book was designed and produced by John Calmann and King Ltd of London, with typography by Rowland Phototypesetting in Suffolk, England. The original UK edition appeared simultaneously. Thames and Hudson’s renowned illustrated book program — known for the “World of Art” series — produced this volume as a standalone reference work, not part of a series.

COVER ART & ILLUSTRATIONS

The dust jacket front features a vibrant English printed and glazed cotton from approximately 1830 — a dense floral pattern of stylized flowers in orange, white, and red against a deep green ground. The back jacket shows the “Queen of Scots” bedroom at Chatsworth, displaying period textile furnishings. Inside, 405 illustrations (333 in color) present full-page reproductions of textile swatches, historical room interiors, furniture upholstery, and architectural details. The plates range from Regency-era chintzes and Victorian damasks through Arts and Crafts weavings to mid-century modern experiments and postmodern retrospectives.

CHAPTERS

• Chapter 1: Basic Cloths — foundational weaving techniques and fabric structures
• Chapter 2: Revolution (1790–1825) — industrialization transforms textile production
• Chapter 3: Exuberance (1825–1860) — Victorian-era floral chintzes and elaborate patterns
• Chapter 4: Renaissance (1860–1890) — Aesthetic Movement and historicist revivals
• Chapter 5: Towards Simplicity (1890–1920) — Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, and reform textiles
• Chapter 6: Contrast and Variety (1920–1950) — Art Deco through postwar modernism
• Chapter 7: Individuality (1950–1980) — designer-driven textile innovation
• Chapter 8: Retrospection (1980–1990) — postmodern revival and historical quotation

WHY IT MATTERS

• Schoeser is one of the most cited textile historians working today — her V&A affiliation and decades of museum curation give this work scholarly authority few comparable surveys match
• The 333 color plates make this an identification resource as much as a history — collectors and dealers use it to date and authenticate period textiles
• Covers both English and American traditions in a single volume, bridging a gap most textile histories leave between transatlantic markets

FREQUENTLY ASKED

What edition is this? First US Edition, first printing, published 1989 by Thames and Hudson Inc., New York. LC Catalog Card Number 89-50543.

What condition is it in? Book VG+, jacket VG- — full condition report below.

Is the dust jacket price-clipped? Yes, the front flap price is clipped. Jacket colors remain bright and uniform with no sunning.

FOR COLLECTORS

This copy’s deep forest-green cloth boards with crisp gilt lettering and the gilt emblem on the front cover present well in jacket. The color plates remain vibrant — critical for a book whose primary value lies in visual identification of textile patterns. Thames and Hudson’s first editions of illustrated reference works from this period have become increasingly sought after as the period interiors they document enter the vintage market.

CONDITION REPORT

Overall Grade: Book: Very Good+ (VG+) / Jacket: Very Good- (VG-)

Cover & Spine: Deep forest-green cloth boards feature crisp, vibrant gilt lettering along the spine and a gilt emblem on the front cover. Cloth is sunned at upper board edges. Minor shelf-wear at the spine ends. Inside pages are clean, bright, and free of markings.

Dust Jacket: Price clipped on front flap. Upper edge has edge wear, front flap fold and spine corner have short, closed tears. Spine head is worn at the edge, bottom jacket edge is crisp all around. Colors are bright and uniform all around, no sunning or tanning or marks.

Text Block & Pages: Pages are clean, bright, and off-white/cream. The color plates remain vibrant and sharp. No toning or foxing.

Binding: Tight, square.

See accompanying images for full condition details. Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.

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