Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-05
SILKS OF CHINA AND JAPAN.
The Decorations Are Printed in France to
Suit the Women.

The Decorations Are Printed in France to
Suit the Women.
From the New York Sun.
The fabric that is called indifferently jap
anese, Chinese and India silk will form an i'm
portan. part of the warm weather textures
1t has the advantage of being thin, yet of suf-
ticient substance for common wear: soft, yield
ing and beautiful in quality yet at the same
time durable
The bulk of the importations come from
China and Japan. and India silk is almost a
myth, so little Of it is made and SO little Sold
Choice In the market lies practically between
the products Of China and Japan. about nine
tenths being from China. The difference be-
tween these two is not seen by the casual OBJ
server. The weave Of Japan is smoother,
softer in quality, and much more beautiful
They wear about equally well and there is
no perceivable difference in the price, the range
In both being from so cents to So. the latter
price being Tor an extraordinary quality a
yard wide. The qualities recommended cost
between IS cents and 9l50 The usual width
Is twenty-six inches. India silk Is the finest OF
ALL In an American imitation the texture has
not the soft quality of the eastern fabrics, but
is why. 1t Is three inches narrower, and OF
about the same price.
These japanese silks-as all may be called
figured. The character of the figures is an I'M
portant matter for consideration. The figures
on dress fabrics should not be limitations, with
perspective effec. and natura. color but they
should be fat ami conventional or of natural
forms analysed and their decorative elements
alone retained. decoration should not be a
picture. Moreover. a repetition o: the same
picture at intervals over surface Is absurd
and monotonous. Yet large proportion of
the figures silks offered for sals are pic lures
of flowers. with shading, colorIngs ana details
aimed at limitations of nature.
A good decoration modestly embelishes the
texture and does not seek to hile it. The first
all-over pattern probably had its origin in the
unevenuess OF texture In hand weaving. The
accidental roughness or changes in color de-
veloped into intentional ones ut regular inter-
walls. TO good decorations belong arrange
ments OF broken lines, dots and all patterns de-
rived from flowers that are not initiative: also
piaids anu stripes, which are but a variation Of
warp and wool.
Ahgured silk that looks natural is not a good
silk to be bought. A figured material is often
more agreeable on the wrong than on the right
side. The reason Is that on the right side the
imitation OF natEIe IL too obvious and thr is
itself forward while on the wrong side one gets
merely the contrasts OF color without any def
mite form or foreign idea to stand between the
mind and enjoyment of the fabric. Japanese
and Chinese designs teach how far nature can
be suSSc sted In u decoration and what kinds of
figures may be chosen. In them nature il in
terpreted. but not initiated. A good illustra-
ton is found IT. japanese drawing of a
chryfanthemum flower or d sun disk behind
flowing lines that may suggest atmosphere or
water.
''How is it." has been asked, that the Chi
nese and Japanese silks in the market are
covered with the natural flower forms con-
densed?' The explanation is full of signiti-
canoe. Here it Ii. as made by leading import
ers. American women will not buy japanese
or any o.her good design. lhey no not under
stand what q good decoration is and make the
| mistake of yalulng it in proportion it looks
like picture. And the reason they can find
these abomiuatiOns Oh eastern silks Is because
the silks not printed i'll China and japan,
but are sent out from those countries plain ND
| are printed i'll france. This Id a device of the
dealers, who cannot afford to carry goods that
! do not bel. The silks are printed to the order
! OF all markets. 1t is not the dealers fault if
large part Of the importations are OF bad
designs or that in general tho worst de-
signs are on the cheaper grades. Arts
| tic patterns cost no more than ugly ones. 1t is
the fault OF the American women who ask for
them. A New York importer brought here
some pieces of China crepe. magniticently
| lowered. They cost him 81. so u yard. He
thought they would be bought for house robes.
But after two years he sold them to country
| dealer for 90 cents yard. 1t is now explained
why the oriental silks in the japanese and
| other stores do not look in the least oriental
Not all of the designs in the market are bad
There are very beautiful silks in the spring
| importations, but woman must know how to
select. She must look at the contrast of color
| to ses whether that is agreeable. consider the
| form of the design, see that it merely breaks
| the surface agreeably without obtruding itself
| as a likeness Of anything and avoid the small
| flower sprlSs showing several colors.