{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O239779"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O239779/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EE9338/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EE9338/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EE9338","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O239779/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O239779","accessionNumber":"E.372:162-1967","objectType":"Embroidery design","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Designs for geometric borders for embroidery in Berlin wool work by A. Todt, 1866, in an album containing a collection of patterns collated by  Sarah Bland (1810-1905).  Berlin wool work is a style of embroidery, often on canvas which uses colours to create a three-dimensional effect. These designs are in an album which includes Bland's collection of  her own botanically accurate designs, simplified patterns from accurate botanical observation, patterns traced from magazines, commercial, printed Berlin wool work patterns, gifts of patterns, including commercial ones from friends and relatives. The designs include those for petit-point, bead-work, decoration for dresses, collars and cuffs, aprons, slippers, tablecloths and covers, cushions, bags, penwipers, initial letters, alphabets etc.\r\n\r\n In Bland's case, the gift of designs demonstrates connections between relatives of merchant and banking families and is of historical significance in bonding such families. This design is inscribed 'E. Barclay' in handwriting at the top left of the design.  The Blands were related to the banking family of the Barclays by marriage.","physicalDescription":"Designs (8) on graph paper for geometric border patterns, possibly in the Berlin wool work style.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Sarah Bland","id":"A7403"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28674"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"A. Todt","id":"A18885"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28674"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"},{"text":"graph paper","id":"AAT14159"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing","id":"AAT54196"},{"text":"painting","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and ink and watercolour on graph paper","categories":[{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Embroidery","id":"THES48960"},{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"},{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Woman Artist","id":"THES387590"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2010EE9338"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLH (VA)","id":"THES49654"},"free":"","case":"95","shelf":"C","box":"101"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"designs","id":"AAT102051"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1866","earliest":"1866-01-01","latest":"1866-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs D. McGregor","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"18.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"11.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'E. Barclay'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed in pencil at the top left hand corner, above the design."},{"content":"'1866'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed in ink at the top right hand corner, above the design"},{"content":"'A Todt[?]in Berlin'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed in ink beneath the design."}],"objectHistory":"Historical significance: Within the study of embroidery, men tend to be recorded as professional embroiderers or pattern drawers, whereas women worked more ambigiously with designs for embroidery. Women's amateur as opposed to professional designs for embroidery raise problems because amateur work has tended to be regarded as less significant. Embroidery was a pastime but was also an economic activity. Upper middle class women's property was closely linked to their status within the family as daughters, wives and widows and only allowed semi-independence. This semi-independence was underpinned by legal, politial, and social practices which subordinated them. Nevertheless, it was combined with recognition of their economic worth within the family enterprise. However, women were restricted as they often could not be openly involved in working for money. See L. Davidoff and C. Hall (Reference Tab). Bland could not be seen to be working but it is likely that she embroidered accessories for dress, penwipers, tablecloths, book covers, and cushions as gifts which were her contribution to the household, wider family, and friendship. The quality of her samplers and designs shows the value of such gifts in terms of relationships with family and friends.\r\n\r\nMaterial about the perceptions of a woman's role is pertinent to the discourse on women and therefore gender history. In Bland's case, the gift of designs demonstrates connections between relatives of merchant and banking families and is of historical significance in bonding between such families.","historicalContext":"The Blands were related to the banking family of the Barclays by marriage.  Sarah Bland (1810-1905) was listed as a 'gentlewoman' in the 1851 census return and is not recorded as having any occupation in the census returns for 1871 and 1901 which is consistent with her social status.","briefDescription":"Design for Berlin wool work by A. Todt, 1866, in an album containing a collection of patterns collated by  Sarah Bland (1810-1905)","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Davidoff, L. and Hall, C. <u> Family Fortunes, Men, Women of the English Middle Class 1780-1850. </u> Revised edition. London: Routledge, 2002, p.387."}],"production":"There are three samplers by Sarah Bland in the collection of  the Textiles and Fashion Department: T.238-1967; T.239-1967 and T.240-1967.","productionType":{"text":"Design","id":"THES48872"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"geometric","id":"AAT20079"},{"text":"border","id":"AAT10252"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.372:162-1967"],"accessionNumberNum":"372","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1967,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-07","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-08","availableToBook":false}}