Colouring the nation : the Turkey red printed cotton industry in Scotland, c.1840-1940 /
Stana Nenadic and Sally Tuckett.
- 144 pages : illustrations (black and white, and colour) ; 25 cm
'Turkey Red' was a method of dyeing which was brought from the east to Scotland and adopted by textile manufacturers in the Vale of Leven, Dunbartonshire, as the method produced a vibrant red colour which could withstand sunlight and washing. Many of the Turkey red fabrics were intended for foreign markets and were designed accordingly being bright coloured with exotic patterns. The Turkey red collection, acquired by National Museums Scotland in 1960, contains 200 pattern books, dating from the 1830 to the 1940s, and around 40,000 textile samples. These have recently been photographed for the Colouring the Nation project which challenges the perception that Scotland's industrial past was dominated by heavy industry.