Black Magic
(Re)Discovering the Development and Changes of Black Woollens Quality Standards in the 18th-century Leiden’s Staalmeesters Sample Books
NWO-NICAS Grant | Project Leader: Prof. Maarten van Bommel | 2024-. Museum De Lakenhal holds a unique collection of sample books (1690-1791), with hundreds of black wool samples produced in Leiden. The city followed strict regulations and used several grades to control the quality of its black woollens, which were often meant for export.
Yet, the samples for each quality grade vary considerably, suggesting that this control was not as standardised as initially assumed. By studying these books and their wool samples, this project aims to (re-)discover the development and changes of 18th-century Leiden quality-control standards, and establish the city’s role in the globalisation of trade in textiles and textile materials.