--- product_id: 12802694 title: "Selling Silks: A Merchant's Sample Book" price: "AED 381" currency: AED in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.ae/products/12802694-selling-silks-a-merchants-sample-book store_origin: AE region: United Arab Emirates --- # Selling Silks: A Merchant's Sample Book **Price:** AED 381 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Selling Silks: A Merchant's Sample Book - **How much does it cost?** AED 381 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ae](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/12802694-selling-silks-a-merchants-sample-book) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description In 1764, British customs confiscated a book containing hundreds of samples of different qualities of silks from French agents who were attempting to sell them illegally in London. This merchant’s sample book was acquired in 1972 by the Victoria and Albert Museum, and today it provides a fascinating record of the 18th-century French and English silk industries and their commercial practices. Alongside a full and faithful reproduction of the whole beautiful album―an extremely rare, fragile, and significant object―Lesley Miller describes how the sample book was a marketing tool for the premier European silk-weaving center of Lyon, France, and a model for English textile manufacturers in Spitalfields. She also discusses how the silks were made and for whom through the use of contemporary portraits and archival documents dating to the 1760s. The album itself is astonishing, reproducing hundreds of patterns. Review: Recommended! - Fantastic book! With story told and good quality pictures Review: Stunning. Just stunning. - Stunning book, impressive scholarship, heart stoppingly beautiful silks. For several periods in the 18th century, England banned the importation of French silks for various commercial and political reasons. This did not stop wealthy English customers from wanting to buy the silks of France. The sample book reproduced here is plausibly presented as a sample book for English buyers to order the French silks they desired...illegaly. Confiscated by an English customs official, the sample book went through various hands until it was purchased by the V&A. This is an important book. The samples are photographed brilliantly-fiendishly difficult to do. The author leaves no stone unturned to place the silks, and their makers into commercial and historic context. And even a casual look through the books will amaze you-the technical range, the colorways, the designs, and the sheer rococo exuberance is entrancing. You will ache to own just a small fragment. This book is as close as you will get. If you love fashion, fabric, or are a designer, if you costume for stage or theatre, or just delight in beauty, invest in this book. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #907,929 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #618 in Textile & Costume (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 26 Reviews | ## Images ![Selling Silks: A Merchant's Sample Book - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/818Ekf2NNbL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recommended! *by E***S on January 20, 2026* Fantastic book! With story told and good quality pictures ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stunning. Just stunning. *by T***S on December 25, 2014* Stunning book, impressive scholarship, heart stoppingly beautiful silks. For several periods in the 18th century, England banned the importation of French silks for various commercial and political reasons. This did not stop wealthy English customers from wanting to buy the silks of France. The sample book reproduced here is plausibly presented as a sample book for English buyers to order the French silks they desired...illegaly. Confiscated by an English customs official, the sample book went through various hands until it was purchased by the V&A. This is an important book. The samples are photographed brilliantly-fiendishly difficult to do. The author leaves no stone unturned to place the silks, and their makers into commercial and historic context. And even a casual look through the books will amaze you-the technical range, the colorways, the designs, and the sheer rococo exuberance is entrancing. You will ache to own just a small fragment. This book is as close as you will get. If you love fashion, fabric, or are a designer, if you costume for stage or theatre, or just delight in beauty, invest in this book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A rare merchant's sample book --- and it can be all YOURS! *by L***P on February 27, 2015* I recently saw a review of this book in "World of Interiors" and was delighted that I was able to order it ("one click!") from Amazon. THIS is a lot of bang for the buck -- a beautifully-designed volume with gorgeous photography of the fabric swatches -- and a real dedication to presenting the pages as-near-to-the-real-thing as possible. I am so pleased that publishers (in this case, V&A --- Who better, right?) have begun to realize that there is a hunger to explore these rare and arcane sample books.....a trend that I hopes continues. Dare I say? -- I would be first in line if the V&A published a whole series of these amazing sample books, different cultures/different eras. I am so happy to add this book to my art library. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ae/products/12802694-selling-silks-a-merchants-sample-book](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/12802694-selling-silks-a-merchants-sample-book) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Arab Emirates* *Store origin: AE* *Last updated: 2026-05-27*