Wednesday 16 September, 10.30-1 p.m.: Talk, Art Deco Designs at the Warner Textile Archive

Braintree Museum: Manor St, Braintree CM7 3HW, United Kingdom

followed by

Warner Textile Archives: 3, Warners Mill, Silks Way, Braintree CM7 3GB, United Kingdom

Warner Textile Archive holds one of the most substantial publicly accessible collections of furnishing fabrics and design records in the United Kingdom. As part of the Braintree District Museum Trust, the archive preserves the legacy of Warner & Sons, a company renowned for its handwoven silks and printed textiles from the late nineteenth century onwards. With around 100,000 objects — including original design artworks, woven silk samples, printed patterns and business records — the collection offers a remarkable insight into more than two centuries of changing interiors, craftsmanship and public taste, while celebrating the designers and weavers who shaped the company’s distinctive aesthetic.

Event Description
As part of Selvedge Textile Month, visitors are invited to step behind the scenes of this extraordinary collection through a rare guided tour of the archive and the textile history of Braintree. This special event offers an opportunity to encounter carefully preserved fabrics and original sketches that reveal the creative processes behind some of the finest textiles produced in Britain. Along the way, guests will discover how shifting fashions, international influences and technical innovation transformed the industry, while viewing rarely displayed pieces at close hand.

Beginning at Braintree Museum and concluding at the archive, the tour offers a richly textured glimpse into a heritage that continues to inspire contemporary design, with refreshments included as part of the experience.

Event Cancellation Policy
All bookings are non-refundable. However, if you let us know that you are unable to attend an event you have booked at least two weeks before the event, we will open up your place. If we find another participant, you will be offered a credit note.

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