Outside paintings, diaries, letters and newspaper advertisements, there is one very good source which provides some insight into the variety of silks which were imported into Annapolis, Maryland in the late Colonial period.
From 1771 to 1775, the Annapolis merchant firm of Wallace, Davidson & Johnson imported silks not only for their own store on the city dock in Annapolis, but also for individual customers special orders as well as other merchants doing business in other parts of the Province.
Below is a partial transcription of their order books, showing the silks as well as when and for whom they were being ordered.
It is interesting to note that the orders of Richard Tilghman Earle for his store in Chester Mill, Queen Anne's County and other merchants, as well as the stores opened by Wallace, Davidson & Johnson in Nottingham, Queen Anne and Pig Point contain no orders for silks.
It is hoped that this will provide some interesting information for other researchers as well as reenactors and dress makers.
(from Maryland State Archives, Chancery Court (Chancery Papers, Exhibits) Wallace, Davidson Johnson, Order Books, 1771/4/25-1775/11/16. MSA S 528-27/28)
Order Books
25 April 1771
For Wallace Davidson and
Johnson
Silks
1 pattern genteel striped
lutestring
1 pattern do
1 pattern do
3 patterns pink colored
lutestring to differ a shade or two each of them
1 pattern straw or
brimstone colored ditto
1 pattern sky blue ditto
6 patterns brown Persian
taffities
12 yards white Persian
12 yards pink do
12 yards figured pink do
12 yards white sarcenet
½ ps ½ yard blue satin 5/.
½ ps white 7/.
1 ps white taffity
1 ps black do
1 ps light blue do
1 ps pink do
Order Books
25 April 1771
For Sally Turner
A silk gown scowered &
dressed
3 yds silk died of the same
colour
A ring to have the cipher E.B.
of hair
Order Books
25 April 1771
For Charles Wallace (partner in Wallace Davidson & Johnson)
Silks
12 yards crimson silk groggeram
2 yards brown damask
Order Books
7 July 1771
For John Davidson (partner in Wallace Davidson & Johnson)
A green damask gown of Mrs
Strachan’s to be dyed agreeable to the pattern & in the best manner
Order Books
4 August 1771
For Wallace Davidson and
Johnson
Silks
3 patterns genteel striped
lutestring
3 patterns pink colored do
to a different shade or two each
1 pattern of straw of
brimstone do
1 pattern sky blue do
6 patterns Persian
Taffities to differ
12 yards white Persian
12 yards pink do
12 yds figured pink do
12 yds white sarcenet
2 ps dark brown Persians
for mens coats
Order Books
No Date [1771]
For Wallace Davidson and
Johnson
Silk Petticoats
6 quilted silk petticoats
Order Books
26 Nov 1771
For Wallace Davidson and
Johnson
Petticoats
2 doz silk quilted coats
well sorted of various colors
3 doz durants petticoats
sorted
Silks
2 ps think white silks for
gowns
½ ps white flowered peating
½ ps pink do do
½ ps sky blue do do
½ ps black do do
½ ps white dusoy
½ ps white sarsnet
½ ps white Ingles Persian
½ ps black mode
½ ps black sallin
½ ps black pealing
6 ps thin brocades of gay
& lively colors well chosen with suitable trimmings
4 ps thin & cheap
lively lutestrings & if any fashioned silks & cheap you may your own
Fam
½ ps white satin
Order Books
20 March 1772
For Wallace Davidson and
Johnson
Silks
4 ps plain white lutestring
sorted
6 ps plain white do of the
most fashionable colors
3 ps genteel thin flowered
brocade very handsome
1 ps rich black satin about
6/.
1 ps rich white do 7/6
15 yds black peeling
15 yds white English
Persian
15 yds pink do
15 yds sky blue do
10 yds green do
12 yds white sarsnet
1 ps black alamode
1 ps black lutestring
2 ps handsome brown do for
serious ladies
15 yds blue satin figured
and plain
15 yds pink do
6 fashionable genteel
brocaded shapes
Order Books
18 November 1772
For Wallace Davidson and
Johnson
Petticoats
12 pelong petticoats pink
blue & white
Order Books
19 February 1773
For Wallace Davidson and
Johnson
Silks
3 patterns ¾ pink
lutestrings different shades
1 whole ps ¾ white
20 yds pink Persian
10 yds sky blue do
10 yds green do
20 yds black pelong
Order Books
24 May 1773
For Wallace Davidson and
Johnson
Silk Cardinals
½ doz genteel fashionable
silk cardinals
1 doz common do well sorted
& chiefly black
Silks
1 ps 18 yds fine white
lutestring
1 ps 18 do half ell wide
straw colored do
1 ps different pinks shot
with white
18 yds each half ell wide
18 yds sky blue do shot
with white
1 ps black alamode
18 yds white do
20 yds white sarsenet
40 yds black white blue and
pink English Persians 18 yds each
12 ps India pertians good
neat colors and very well sorted
2 ps 18 yds each good brown
lutestring
½ doz blue white & pink
pelong quilted petticoats
Order Books
25 October 1773
For John Davidson (partner in Wallace Davidson & Johnson)
Four gowns to dyed of two
colors to pattern sent with them
Order Books
14 December 1773
For William Bond (merchant of Baltimore Town)
Silks
1 ps black alamode
1 ps changeable orange
colored tafety
1 ps crimson do
1 ps deep orange colored
india Persian
1 ps white English do
Order Books
No Date [1774]
For Archibald Buchanan (merchant of Baltimore Town)
Silks
1 ps plain black allimode
1 ps Hon tarsinet
1 ps black satin pealong 3/
1 ps pale blue do 2/10
1 ps pink do 3/2
(For Miss Nelly Buchanan)
20 yds brocaded lutestring
at about 12/ p yd
Order Books
No Date [1774]
For Wallace Davidson and
Johnson
Silks
20 yds white ½ Ell Persians
12 yds pink do
12 yds do do
20 yds white do
4 ps 18 yds ½ Ell pink
lutestring diff shades
2 ps pure white lutestring
1 ps black do
1 ps blue do diff shades
1 straw colored do
1 pea green do
1 brown do
2 very genteel white
brocades
6 pealong petticoats pink
blue and white
1 ps blue and white silk
agreeable to pattern
1 ps green and white do
corded
Order Books
19 March 1774
For Wallace Davidson and
Johnson
Silks
2 ps white lutestring
2 ps diff pinks shot with
white 18 yds ea ½ Ell wide
1 ps sky blue do shot with
white
1 ps black allimode
10 yds white do
20 yds white sarsnet
40 yds black white blue and
pink English Persians 10 yds each
2 ps 18 yds ea good brown
lutestring
½ doz blue white & pink
pealong quilted petticoats
1 ps black lutestring
Order Books
20 March 1774
For Archibald Buchanan (merchant of Baltimore Town)
Silks
22 yds second mourning silk
white flowered white satin stripe not to exceed 9/ p yd
Order Books
10 September 1774
For Sarah Murray
(Most likely the daughter of Dr. William Murray of Chestertown who died 13
April 1758. She was born 12 November 1747 and married John Thomas of West River
on 23 August 1777.)
Silk
13 yards lutestring to be
of lead color shot with white about 5/. per yard
1 silk quilted coat to be
of sea green at 40/.
Order Books
29 August 1774
For Robert Tyler
(May be Robert Tyler of Prince Georges County born 5 November 1727 and died 8
August 1778)
Silks
1 ps red & white
striped lutestring about 6/ per yd
Order Books
29 September 1774
For William Bond (merchant of Baltimore Town)
Silks
1 ps black alamode
1 ps white do
1 ps white English Persian
1 ps black English do
1 ps white pelong
1 ps black pelong
Order books
No Date [1774]
For Wallace Davidson and
Johnson
Silks
3 ps fashionable genteel
brocades
2 ps fashionable white
lutestring
1 ps black do
2 ps fashionable pink do
1 ps do blue do
1 ps do green do
1 ps do brown do
The above silks to be half
Ell wide & 18 yd pieces
20 yards white serge dusoy
20 yards blue do
40 yards white sarsnett
40 yards white Persian
10 yards pink do
10 yards blue do
10 yards black do
20 yards white alamode
1 ps black do
1 ps black pelong
6 pealon quilted petticoats
pink blue & white
Order Books
1 August 1775
For Alexander Ogg (merchant of Huntingtown, Calvert County)
Silks
1 ps silk Damascus
½ ps black satin
½ ps purple do
1 ps Bro changeable mantua
silk
1 ps black indian Persian
1 ps blue do
1 ps flesh do
1 ps changeable do
1 ps black alamode
1 ps white sarsnett
1 ps black taffety
½ ps blue do
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