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East India Company: list of Bengal textiles

1730

East India Company: Bengal textiles

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    Imagine an England without tea in china cups, without pepper, chintz or chutney. Without the East India Company, these Asian products would not play such a central role in our culture. From the early 1600s the Company progressively expanded its trading networks, sending vast amounts of goods from Asia (known in the West as the East Indies) to Europe, and gaining increasing political power.

     

    This document from 1730 lists the range of textiles - or 'piece goods' - purchased in Bengal by the Company. During the 18th century Indian textiles provided 60% of the total value of the Company's sales in London. While workers were subjected to the devastating effects of extreme climate, famine and war, the landowners, brokers and the Company grew rich on their skills.

     

    The Company purchased many fine Indian textiles, including muslins, painted or printed chintz and palampores, plain white baftas, diapers and dungarees, striped allejaes, mixed cotton and silk ginghams, and embroidered quilts. Indian craftsmen were masters of colour-fast dyeing techniques, and many fabrics showed wonderful designs and colour combinations produced by hand-painting and wood-blocking.

     

    Shelfmark: BL:OIOC:E/3/5, f.97.

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    East India Company: Bengal textiles

    Original text:

     

    List of Goods to be Provided in the Bay of Bengall for the ships going out in the year 1730.

     

    Addalics...of low Prices, Six thousand Pieces......6000; 2200 8 46/

    Ditto...Fine, with Gold Heads, Three thousand......3000 1500 4 26/

    Alliballies...low Prices, Five hundred......500 650 1 ¼

    Baftacs...of low Prices, eighteen yards long, six thousand......6000 1875 13½

    Ditto... very fine with Gold heads, Fifteen hundred......1500 625 3¾

    Ditto Jugdea...of Twelve Yards long such as receiv'd by the Heathcote, Ten thousand......10000 3625 18¾

    Bandanoes...or Taffa de Foolas, as by the Eyles, Six thousand......6000 3072 7½

    Carridarries...very good, such as the Fine Bale by the Heathcote (or else none) One Thousand......1000 483 1 2/3

    Carridarrie...Sannoes, One thousand......1000 470 1 2/3

    Chillacs...of the same goodness as the finest that came by the Heathcote, Three thousand......3000 750 5

    Chowtars...of the low Price sort, as by the Heathcote, Four thousand......4000 1060 62/3

    Coopees...Two thousand......2000 880 3 1/3

    Chints Patna...as directed last year, thirty thousand, and Twenty thousand of them be glazed, and the following chints in proportions......30000 12000 73 ¾

    Ditto Cossimbuzar...Ten thousand......10000 812 14

    Ditto Calcutta...as order'd last year, six thousand......6000 1254 6

    Cuttannees Atlass...Plain, well cover'd, and good variety of stipes and clours, One thousand......1000 700 1 ¼

    Ditto...stip'd and Flowere'd, also well concered, Five hundred......500 500 5/8

    Cofsacs...Fine, Yard and half broad, with Gold heads, at least as good as those by the Heathcote, Four thousand......4000 7000 10

    Ditto...of an inferiour Sort. better than the Heathcote, six thousand......6000 6000 15

    Ditto...Fine, yard and three eighths broad with Gold head, better than the Heathcote, Two thousand......2000 1750 5

    Ditto...of an inferiour Sort, Five thousand......2000 1750 5

    Ditto Orua...Yard and eighth to yard and three sixteenths broad, Fifteen thousand......15000 12750 37 ½

    Ditto...Yard broad, of the lowest Prices, Eight thousand......8000 4440 20

    Ditto Chartpoore...Yard broad, as by the Heathcote, Two thous.......2000 4000 5

    Ditto...of the same Fabrick of a lower sort, Two thousand......2000 2500 5

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