Stockings

Stockings, time and origin unknown. D-Braunschweig, Staatliches Naturhistorisches Museum (MS-Inventory 47).

“1 Paar Strümpfe aus Muschelseide, Italien, letztes Drittel 18. Jahrhundert (frühester Nachweis) L. 76,5 cm, Gewicht 52 g/Strumpf. Dichte: 8 Maschen und 9 Reihen/cm; Garndrehung: z/S-zweifach-Zwirn; Grund: Rechte Maschen; Muster: Linke Maschen (seitlich über zwei aus der Ferse aufsteigenden Linien, die sich in Wadenhöhe treffen, kleines Ornament aus Rauten).” (Jordan-Fahrbach 2004) (in English: 1 pair of stockings made of sea silk, Italy, last third of the 18th century (earliest evidence) length 76.5 cm, weight 52 g/stocking. Density: 8 stitches and 9 rows/cm; twist: z/S double twist; ground: right stitches; pattern: left stitches (laterally over two lines rising from the heel and meeting at wade height, small ornament of rhombus).

Although stockings made of sea silk are frequently mentioned in literature, only two pairs have been found to date. These stockings belong to the Natural History Museum Braunschweig and originally came from the Ducal Art and Natural History Cabinet, which Karl I, Duke of Braunschweig and Lüneburg (1713-1780) had set up in 1754 in the castle Dankwarderobe. In 1857 they were transferred to the Natural History Museum. Under no. 1043 “der Beschreibung oder Inventarium des Herzog[lichen] Braunschweig[ischen] Museum findet sich Ein Paar Strümpfe, so von der bey allen Steckmuscheln sich findenden Seide, bissus genannt, verfertiget sind” (Staatliches Naturhistorisches Museum, Akte 8, Conchylien-Inventar; Jordan-Fahrbach 2004), (in English: … there is a pair of stockings made from the silk, called bissus, which is found in all fan shells).

These stockings exemplify how textiles made from sea silk found their way from former private collections into today’s natural history museums – where most of the objects found to date are located. But what we do not yet know is where the stockings were made, when and how they came into the princely collection. Let us go on a search.

Duke August the Younger (1579-1666) undertook cavalier journeys between 1598 and 1603, as was customary at that time among the nobility to complete their education. They also took him to Italy. The original of his sober but complete travel diary is kept in the Herzog August Bibliothek in Wolfenbüttel. In the excerpts transcribed by Dr. Maria von Katte, we find on 25 October 1599 – he is in Montelione (Calabria) on this day – the entry: “allda vielle Seide zufinden”, which is exported to Naples. Nothing suggests that this was sea silk.

Perhaps Duke August’s extensive correspondence with his art agent in Augsburg, Philipp Hainhofer (1578-1647), which has also been handed down, could provide information? Hainhofer came from a family of Augsburg cloth merchants with a branch in Florence and had studied at universities in Northern Italy. In the letters edited by Ronald Gobiet in 1984 there is often talk of textiles: Cotton, Florentine and Milanese linen, atlas, velvet, taffeta, green and Spanish silk. On 15 December 1644, a delivery of “4 Baar gfarbten seÿdinen strimpfen” is mentioned. The material of them is unfortunately not mentioned.

Several of Duke August’s successors also travelled to Italy on their Grand Tour and expanded the cabinet. Did one of them bring the stockings home as a souvenir? Perhaps Carl Wilhelm Ferdinand (1737-1813), who met Sir William Hamilton in Naples 1765, whose wife, Lady Hamilton, was given gloves made of sea silk by her later lover Lord Nelson? Or were they a gift from one of the many young noblemen who visited the already famous Brunswick cabinet on their return from Italy? We don’t know and are continuing our research.

The stockings were first shown in the exhibition Von den fürstlichen Sammlungen zum Museum der Aufklärung (in English: From the Princely Collections to the Museum of the Enlightenment) on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the Natural History Museum and the Duke Anton Ulrich Museum in Braunschweig. They are illustrated and described in the catalogue (Ahrens 2004).

In 2004 Eva Jordan-Fahrbach, textile restorer at the Anton Ulrich Museum in Braunschweig, carried out the analysis and restoration of the stockings: “Die Einbettung einer einzelnen Faser in Kunstharz zeigte den elliptischen Querschnitt der Muschelseide, wie keine andere natürliche Faser ihn ausweist. Nach einer ersten mechanischen Reinigung mit Hilfe eines Mikrosaugers wurden verbleibende Verschmutzungen mit speziell angefertigten ‘Groomsticks’ entfernt. Rollt man diese mit Acrylharzkleber beschichteten Wattestäbchen über das Objekt, so bleiben Schmutzpartikel an ihnen haften. Die zahlreichen Mottenlöcher wurden anschliessend mit kleinen Gestricken aus eingefärbter Seide unterlegt.
Dringend notwendig sind Grundlagen für die langfristige Aufbewahrung der Objekte. Grösster Schädling ist die Motte. Regelmässige, möglichst halbjährliche Kontrollen auf Mottenbefall sind unabdingbar – oder zumindest im Frühjahr, wenn die Motten fliegen. Zum Schutz eignen sich Nelkenöl oder Lavendelsäckchen in den Kästen oder Schubladen sowie im Raum angebrachte Pheromonfallen. Dabei dürfen die Öle keinen direkten Kontakt mit den Objekten haben. Die Textilien müssen liegend im Dunkeln gelagert werden, ohne Belastung, da Bruchkanten gefährdete Stellen sind. Als Polster und Abdeckung kommt Baumwolle nur dann in Frage, wenn die Luftfeuchtigkeit konstant bei 50% oder tiefer liegt. Bei höherer relativer Luftfeuchtigkeit sollte nur Polyester als Vlies oder Gewebe verwendet werden, weil es extrem wenig Feuchtigkeit bindet und so einer möglichen Schimmelbildung vorbeugt. Auch bei der Ausstellungspräsentation sollten relative Luftfeuchtigkeitswerte von ca. 50% möglichst konstant eingehalten werden. Das stete Quellen und Schrumpfen infolge häufiger Schwankungen führt ebenso wie eine zu starke Beleuchtung zum Verlust der inneren Festigkeit, so dass die Fasern schneller altern. Lichtstärken von 50 Lux sollten nicht überschritten werden. Doppelt liegende Objekte (Handschuhe, Strümpfe) dürfen nicht unnötig gequetscht und somit nicht in Bilderrahmen gepresst werden. Bei Temperaturschwankungen können sich auf der kalten Glasoberfläche geringste Feuchtigkeitsmengen niederschlagen, welche die Alterung beschleunigen.” (Jordan-Fahrbach 2004), (in English: The embedding of a single fibre in synthetic resin showed the elliptical cross-section of sea silk, as no other natural fibre shows. After a first mechanical cleaning with the help of a micro-sucker, remaining dirt was removed with specially made ‘groomsticks’. If these cotton swabs coated with acrylic resin adhesive are rolled over the object, dirt particles will stick to them. The numerous moth holes were then underlaid with small, knitted fabrics made of dyed silk.

There is an urgent need for a basis for the long-term storage of the objects. The biggest pest is the moth. Regular checks for moth infestation, preferably every six months, are essential – or at least in spring when the moths fly. Oil of cloves or lavender bags in the boxes or drawers and pheromone traps placed in the room are suitable for protection. The oils must not have direct contact with the objects. The textiles must be stored lying down in the dark, without load, as breakage edges are vulnerable areas. Cotton can only be used as upholstery and cover if the humidity is constantly at 50% or lower. If the relative humidity is higher, only polyester should be used as a fleece or fabric because it binds extremely little moisture and thus prevents possible mold growth. Relative humidity values of approx. 50% should also be kept as constant as possible for exhibition presentations. Constant swelling and shrinkage due to frequent fluctuations, as well as excessive lighting, lead to a loss of internal strength, so that the fibres age more quickly. Light intensity levels of 50 lux should not be exceeded. Double objects (gloves, stockings) should not be squashed unnecessarily and thus not pressed into picture frames. If the temperature fluctuates, even the slightest amount of moisture can condense on the cold glass surface, which accelerates ageing.)