Holiday Special A Folio Of Commerical Indigo Samples: Dyed Cottons Tool [UtdVlr0y]

ca. mid twentieth century
each leaf as shown as a two page spread: 10" x 8 1/4", 25.5 cm x 20 cm

This is a very interesting, attractive and curious sample book of commercially produced indigo cotton swatches, thirty-eight in all.   

The swatches are affixed to an accordion pleated "book" which we have shown in two page segments.  This accordion is separate from the lightweight cardboard folio which contains it--the accordion is fully removable from the casing.  

The cover of this folio, which is imprinted in English script reading "Samples" also shows a pair of flying cranes is lovely--and when you open this folio the interior mimics that of a Japanese folding screen, showing pine trees and single, flying crane.

Criss-crossed cording holds the accordion in place.  The actual samples are all extremely subtle and dense iterations of indigo, from pure blue-ish swatches to deep purplish ones.

A very collectible document, and interesting to look at.