Humphries Weaving contributed to the meticulous restoration of Clare & Henry Ford’s Bedroom at the Henry Ford Estate, recreating a historically accurate silk and linen brocatelle wall covering from 1915. Working from a single archival receipt mentioning "Walnut Brocatelle" and several grainy black and white photographs, our team undertook detailed research and development to resurrect this significant textile.
The design process began with careful hand-drawing of the pattern from archive photographs, despite their blurred and pixelated nature. Through multiple iterations and refinements using Computer Aided Design, we developed an authentic reproduction worthy of this prestigious estate. The fabric was woven as a brocatelle, featuring multiple wefts with extra binder warp, creating the high-relief, three-dimensional effect that historically served as an elegant alternative to figured velvet.
The nature of this project required custom colour, as a vertical mill we have the capabilities to offer onsite dyeing which allows close collaboration, ensuring the perfect colour is achieved. The colour development demanded equal precision. Drawing from our extensive archive of historical walnut shades, alongside contemporary colour references, we conducted comprehensive dye trials. The final selection featured a dark brown figure against a carefully balanced ground shade, achieving the perfect contrast while maintaining period authenticity.
The fabric was woven on our state-of-the-art Jacquard looms at our Suffolk mill, with every metre meticulously inspected by hand before shipment to Michigan. This project exemplifies our expertise in historical textile reproduction, transforming minimal archival evidence into an exquisite, historically accurate fabric.
The restored bedroom at Fair Lane, the 56-room mansion that served as Clara and Henry Ford's sanctuary from 1915 until their deaths, now showcases this carefully researched and crafted wall covering. As founder of the Ford Automobile Company and pioneer of the world's first auto assembly line, Henry Ford's legacy of innovation finds a fitting tribute in this detailed restoration of his private spaces.
Project References: 4946
