01 September 2011

royal WALLIS Tyrian Purple

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1936






 very WALLIS-by Roland Mouret






 'purple'  from the Old English word purpul , deriving from the Latin purpura, & from there the Greek πορφύρα (porphura), name of the Tyrian purple dye manufactured in classical antiquity from  mucus secreted by the spiny dye-murex snail. The first recorded use of the word 'purple' in English was in the year A.D. 975.




Royal purple, Tyrian purple, purple of the ancients
 after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in AD 476, Europeans' idea of purple shifted towards this more bluish purple known as royal purple because of its similarity to the royal blue worn by the aristocracy. This was the shade of purple worn by kings in medieval Europe.








making Tyrian Purple
The most favourable season for taking these fish [i.e., shellfish] is after the rising of the Dog-star, or else before spring; for when they have once discharged their waxy secretion, their juices have no consistency: this, however, is a fact unknown in the dyers' workshops, although it is a point of primary importance. After it is taken, the vein [i.e., hypobranchial gland] is extracted, which we have previously spoken of, to which it is requisite to add salt, a sextarius [about 20 ounces (567 grams)] about to every hundred pounds of juice. It is sufficient to leave them to steep for a period of three days, and no more, for the fresher they are, the greater virtue there is in the liquor. It is then set to boil in vessels of tin [or lead], and every hundred amphoræ ought to be boiled down to five hundred pounds of dye, by the application of a moderate heat; for which purpose the vessel is placed at the end of a long funnel, which communicates with the furnace; while thus boiling, the liquor is skimmed from time to time, and with it the flesh, which necessarily adheres to the veins. About the tenth day, generally, the whole contents of the cauldron are in a liquefied state, upon which a fleece, from which the grease has been cleansed, is plunged into it by way of making trial; but until such time as the colour is found to satisfy the wishes of those preparing it, the liquor is still kept on the boil. The tint that inclines to red is looked upon as inferior to that which is of a blackish hue. The wool is left to lie in soak for five hours, and then, after carding it, it is thrown in again, until it has fully imbibed the colour. -Pliny the Elder, on Tyrian purple in his Natural History.

dresses in wallis tyrian, all from net a porter
DVF, & at center-maison martin margiela





her extraordinary jewels went well with the severity of line.



Style is a simple way of saying complicated things. Jean Cocteau




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11 comments:

  1. I love the chinoiserie etageres. WS clothes and jewels were exquisite, but just how many pairs of shoes does one need to be happy? Great post! Mary

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  2. Very, very well-researched, Gaye; it was a touch like attending an interesting talk. The associations of clothing colours - unless used to target homosexuals and the flamboyant - really don't recur very often

    Additionally, I'd say that this partially explains Prince

    Have you seen the photographs of the leads from Madonna's upcoming film of the Windsors? I wasn't galvanised by the costume designs, though more on the male side - Andrea Riseborough wears hers well enough, I think

    Yours,

    BON
    http://barimavox.blogspot.com/

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  3. I am still without power and water but have a few moments to spend at Starbucks this morning so wanted to stop by and say hello!! What a splendid salute to the royal hue!! A wonderful shade to mix with brown, orange and all other autumnal shades - can't believe it's September!!

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  4. This is fascinating. I think the dyeing of textiles, the weaving of textiles, the construction of clothing from the historic perspective is totally absorbing.
    You always choose the the intriguing subjects. I always read your blog if I read no others.
    I do feel I have to comment on the D & D. There is too much information out now that pegs them as Nazi sympathizers or worse.
    Perhaps it is an overblown theory, but FBI files that were opened due to The Freedom of Information Act seem to support the accusation. There are several documentaries and books on the subject. In The King’s Speech it is alluded to as well.
    I now can’t buy the love story. If the speculations are true she was a very skilled courtesan and nothing more.

    Youtube, the documentary which I saw I believe on the History Channel.

    http://tinyurl.com/4yxggjr

    The Duchess of Windsor: The Secret Life by Charles Higham a biography available anywhere.

    Sydney

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  5. You have just solved a mystery for me......
    I own a fabulous vintage jacket with a jeweled and fur neck, exquisite lines, quite one of my favourite things.
    Years ago, an older elegant woman saw me wearing it, and remarked "Mrs. Simpson"!
    Now I understand her reference. It's colour is Tyrian Purple.

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  6. Gaye a fascinating account and of course Purple has always denoted royalty.

    Of the trio of dresses I would love to have the one on the far left. Style, so classic.

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  7. Another fascinating posting, Gaye! I had to chuckle at the lead photo, though, for I suspect that poor Wallis never looked so good.

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  8. Besides the fascinating information, I love how you have arranged the post...the purple diary interspersed, the look of it all, and the text. Your posts are always a treat. Warmly,

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  9. Glad to have your approvals! It was a fun little bit to do. I love the Smythson papers and seeing it got me revved up.

    Jones-I suspect her shoe count would be modest by today's standard!

    Barima- any self respecting WWW fan would have to be on the heels of that film. It appears to have been panned in Venice-though I can hardly see how bad it could be with all the truly ghastly things on the screen. I hope to see it when it finally arrives here. As I like to say- anything in costume!

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  10. Q- it is great with the autumnal colors- and rubies and sapphires and diamonds etc etc.

    Sydney- colour history is fascinating, and I love history of all kinds- what is fact, distortion - both, it may be hard to ever pin down the actual facts of the Hitler connections-as I have commented before-not so much in Their defense there was an entire well heeled group in the UK hoping to appease Hitler-the country still at a loss from the 1st war and there was that thinking in the USA as well. I am skeptical about any FBI files as it is. I dwell on today's politics here and that gets me into trouble- so I leave the old politics in the past- though otherwise the past as it concerns everything else gives me great joy!

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  11. Thea- It sounds like a sharp little number! I actually took the phrases from fact or quotes and embellished the "purples" a little.

    Karena- except for the hemlines I love them all. The lady did have style.

    Philip- thanks, kindly and humbly.

    Mark- you are probably right- I am going to collect some of the photos I have collected and title them the pretty wallis just for you. I think you will be surprised. pgt

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