Beschreibung:

Shawl. A large Paisley shawl, mid 19th century, cream centred wool shawl with woven wide border of large botehs, flanked by narrow borders of small botehs, in red, blue, green, and yellow, fringed at short ends, scattered small holes, mostly in centre, with stitched paper label stamped with number '427' and inscribed in black ink 'No. 25 in Catalogue Paisley Museum Exhibition, 12th June 1905', 166 x 330cm (65 x 130ins) Paisley’s Free Public Library and Museum opened in 1871, with the aim of providing local people with the means of self-improvement inspired by the ideals of the Scottish enlightenment. In 1905, the Museum held its first exhibition of Paisley shawls in recognition of the impact the textiles had had on the town’s fortunes, and with the hope of further donations of shawls to enhance the collections. The exhibition, showcasing 650 shawls, attracted around 16,000 visitors over a 3 week period and 3,000 catalogues were sold; it was so popular the closing date had to be extended. Many contributers gifted their shawls to the museum permanently when the exhibition concluded. Much of the organization of the event, along with the writing of a commemorative volume, was undertaken by Matthew Blair, a former weaver and local historian. He thanked the many ladies who had attended, but also suggested that they should be helping to uphold the industry by wearing their shawls more in public. Indeed, one elderly lady was praised for attending in her white centred Paisley shawl, thereby becoming a "walking exhibit".