Not as simple as that, I fear, Sherry!
Posted by Caroline on February 11, 1998 at 18:43:53:
In response to The answers, written by Sherry on February 11, 1998 at 15:26:54
Hi Sherry!
First, can I be personal? Is this our old Sherry, or a new one we haven't met yet?
Secondly, are you asking for a particular reason? Are you on a deadline? I ask this because I fear the question is a bit more complicated than you have made it. Thanks for the links- I tried the westegg one and the results I got are quite baffling.
Here's some things that should totally obscure the issue.
(1) Muslins varied so much in price. As well as H.C's,Carl's and Marie's figures, we've got nine shillings a yard, in either 1790-ish or 1817-ish, depending on the date you pick for Northanger Abbey. I've seen five shillings quoted somewhere too.
(2) Cottons were not necessarily the same as muslins. "'Washing dresses" were made out of sturdy cotton, not muslin, and the price was probably just as variable.
(3) It seems to be a generally held thing that the cost of making clothes in those days was much more than today, and that a very large proportion of the cost was the fabric, not the workmanship (the opposite of today).Your 1996 price of $1.07 in England is about 20% of the actual , real , modern cost of cottons there . So I wouldn't immediately trust that inflation calculator to be right about the cost of things, even if it is right for the value of money. Generally, "things" were far more expensive then than they are today.
(4) You haven't factored in the origin of the cotton cloth. Was it manufactured in India, England, or locally in the USA? Cotton cloth made from American bolls shipped to England, processed into cloth, and re-exported to the US (not as rare as you might think) would, presumably, cost more than home made American cloth , wouldn't you think?
Sorry to be so unhelpful about all this- it's something that I have been mulling over for months, and I'd like to get to the bottom of, myself!
Like Patrica, I found your original request a bit confusing. I hope it's now a bit clearer. But I'm not sure what you want in a textile source......are you looking for designs of cloth, or what?
- Same old me with a few corrections!(long) Sherry 20:18:57 2/11/98
(6)
- Income, prices and calculations (longish). Tilde 07:31:40 2/13/98
(5)
- you mean your 33cents :-) Sherry 14:22:57 2/13/98
(4)
- Funds Ann 23:38:15 2/13/98
(3)
- another example... P. Bingham 23:49:29 2/16/98
(2)
- Yes,Yes Yes(sounds like organic shampoo commercial) Sherry 12:53:30 2/17/98
(1)
- By all means Caroline 19:49:42 2/20/98
(0)
- By all means Caroline 19:49:42 2/20/98
(0)
- Yes,Yes Yes(sounds like organic shampoo commercial) Sherry 12:53:30 2/17/98
(1)
- another example... P. Bingham 23:49:29 2/16/98
(2)
- Funds Ann 23:38:15 2/13/98
(3)
- you mean your 33cents :-) Sherry 14:22:57 2/13/98
(4)
- Income, prices and calculations (longish). Tilde 07:31:40 2/13/98
(5)
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