This printed cotton cloth is part of a collection of West African textiles, spindles, handspun yarn and a thorn carving, collected by Dr C Marion Petrie. Dr Petrie was an employee of the British Colonial Service in Nigeria and Ghana in West Africa between 1975 and 1966. European cloths such as this were worn by women as wrappers.

The cloth was designed for the West African market and printed in Manchester, in the north of England, during the 1950s or 1960s. Two types of printed cotton textiles were produced in Europe for sale in West and Central Africa - wax prints and fancy prints. This cloth, which is decorated on both sides of the cloth, is an example of a wax print. These were produced by printing resin paste on both sides of a piece of cloth, taking care to match the pattern. A machine was then used to treat the cloth in order to create a crackled effect. The cloth was dyed, usually with indigo, the resin scraped off, and other colours added. In making fancy prints, only one side of the cloth was patterned.

European textiles have been exported to West Africa since Europeans first began to explore the area. Throughout the 20th century, Holland and Britain had numerous factories which produced textiles for the African market. After West Africa gained its independence, many textiles factories were set up in West Africa (sometimes with the help of Holland and Britain). These factories produced cheaper textiles, which led to a decline in the demand for European printed cloths like this. Today only two European factories survive: Vlisco (van Vlissingen) in Helmond in Holland and ABC (Arthur Brunnschweiler & Co. in Manchester). Both factories are however still very successful, producing costly high-status cloths which are valued for the quality of the design and the makers' skill.

This printed cotton cloth was designed for the West African market and printed in Manchester, in the north of England, during the 1950s or 1960s. Two types of printed cotton textiles were produced in Europe for sale in West and Central Africa - wax prints and fancy prints. This cloth, which is decorated on both sides of the cloth, is an example of a wax print. These were produced by printing resin paste on both sides of a piece of cloth, taking care to match the pattern. A machine was then used to treat the cloth in order to create a crackled effect. The cloth was dyed, usually with indigo, the resin scraped off, and other colours added. In making fancy prints, only one side of the cloth was patterned.

European textiles have been exported to West Africa since Europeans first began to explore the area. Throughout the 20th century, Holland and Britain had numerous factories which produced textiles for the African market. After West Africa gained its independence, many textiles factories were set up in West Africa (sometimes with the help of Holland and Britain). These factories produced cheaper textiles, which led to a decline in the demand for European printed cloths like this. Today only two European factories survive: Vlisco (van Vlissingen) in Helmond in Holland and ABC (Arthur Brunnschweiler & Co. in Manchester). Both factories are however still very successful, producing costly high-status cloths which are valued for the quality of the design and the makers' skill.

This printed cotton, designed for the West African market, was made in Manchester, in the north of England, during the 1950's or 1960's. European cloths such as this were worn by women as wrappers.

This cloth is part of a collection of 33 objects consisting of West African textiles, spindles, hand spun yarn and a thorn carving, which were collected in West Africa between 1957 and 1966 by Dr C Marion Petrie. Dr Petrie was employed by the British Colonial Service in government and university posts in various towns in Nigeria and Ghana. She collected textiles and other items for her own enjoyment in markets and from traders and subsequently donated them to the National Textile Museum in Adelaide. When the National Textile Museum closed in 1999, this collection was transferred to the Powerhouse Museum.

Wrapper, cotton, designed for the West African market, maker unknown, Manchester, England, 1950-1966

A length of machine woven cotton printed with a design of stylised sea-related motifs such as shells, crab pincers and star-fish in brown, orange, yellow and blue. The cloth is divided in half vertically, each half containing a narrow and and a broad vertical stripe. The narrow stripes are the same, featuring brown cone shells zig-zagging on a light blue background. The broad stripes are different, one decorated with yellow five-pointed forms on an orange ground and the other divided into alternating orange and brown triangles containing crab pincer motifs. The background is additionally ornamented with varied overall patterned motifs.

Made: Manchester, England; 1950 - 1966

No marks.

2008/59/26

1950 - 1966

895 mm