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"How can I identify a RW Simtex tablecloth?"

 

Posted to the Russel Wright Discussion Group

Sunday, April 6, 2008 7:44:38 AM

 

The fabric of all of the authentic RW Simtex cloths is the same woven

60%rayon/40%cotton blend, and the new unwashed examples all exhibit the

same soft texture.  Depending on the frequency (and method) of washing,

however, they may not only shrink considerably, but may either stiffen

to the point of becoming "horse blanket-like" in feel or actually become

more "plush" in texture.  Some people mistake this texture for that of a

woolen fabric. 

 

These cloths are distinguishable by the interweaving of threads of two

or more colors to create different blended colors, although many non-RW

cloths of this era, several manufactured by Simtex, also used this same

technique and fabric blend.

 

The new RW Simtex cloths all have the Simtex "made right in America"

label sewed into the end of the cloth, but of course, so do other Simtex

cloths that were not designed by RW.  Some people remove these labels,

and some of the labels tear off with repeated use and laundering. 

 

We have been able to authenticate only four different RW Simtex patterns

(each with two colorways), either from their original paper tags still

attached to the cloth or from magazine ads.  From a photo in Annie

Wright's cookbook, we suspect that a third colorway for one of these

four patterns is also a Wright design.  Complicating the picture (as if

it weren't complicated enough already), we found evidence that other

colorways of this same pattern (referred to as "sundeck plaid" by

Simtex) were not designed by Wright, or at least he was not given credit

for their design on their original labels.   

 

The RW Leacock cloths, on the other hand, were of two different fabrics,

one also a smooth blend of rayon and cotton and the other a coarse

sailcloth, depending on the design.  Also, the RW Leacock cloths are all

have printed rather than woven patterns, and all have an undecorated

border at the edge of the cloth. 

 

We have identified six different RW Leacock patterns: Bandanna, Cross

Hatch, Silver Lace, Brush Stroke, Abstract and Plaid.  The first three

are made of sailcloth and usually bear a sewn-in Leacock label. The last

three are in the smooth blended fabric and have no sewn-in labels.

 

Gary M. 

 

 http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/RusselWright/photos/browse/938e

 

Did the Iroquois ORIGINAL teapots (with or without lids) come in Charcoal, Lemon

Yellow, Lettuce Green, Pink Sherbet?

 

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