Ivory Silk Crepe and Watered Ribbed Fabric Samples

Victorian Late / Bustle · 1880s · British

Two textile samples mounted together, displaying contrasting silk weaves typical of Victorian dress fabrics. The larger piece shows ivory silk crepe de chine with a delicate figured pattern of botanical sprays featuring leaves and berries, created through the fabric's weave structure. The smaller sample demonstrates watered ribbed silk with the characteristic moiré effect, where the ribbed surface creates subtle light-catching waves across the ivory ground. Both fabrics exhibit the refined, lightweight quality favored for women's dress construction in the 1880s. The samples are pinned to what appears to be a manuscript note, suggesting they were preserved as reference materials, possibly by a dressmaker or fabric merchant documenting available textiles for client selection.