- Paperback: 192 pages
- Publisher: Thames & Hudson; New edition edition (28 April 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0500283745
- ISBN-13: 978-0500283745
- Product Dimensions: 30.6 x 24.3 x 1.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 617,750 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
'Essential reading' - International Textiles 'Lively, easy to read and full of intriguing stories and information' - Hali 'Large, stunning, spectacular, sumptuous, with a mix of well-documented historical, ethnic and contemporary examples... it can be recommended as a visual feast and a source of inspiration for any jaded designer' - Textiles Magazine 'Inspirational... a key title' - Marie Claire
Product Description
Embellishment with glittering substances is a worldwide and ancient practice, found in Assyrian bas-reliefs, in the tombs of Scythian nomadic horsemen, the treasures of the pharaohs and in the burials of Andean cultures' high priests. Today these creations are a source of ideas in contemporary fashion and decoration. Victoria Rivers has spent more than a decade in the search for the most spectacular examples of a universally appealing phenomenon. Combining her artist's eye with an in-depth knowledge of textile techniques and drawing on an array of specialist and anthropological research from all the world's continents, she discusses and displays her subject in three main sections. The volume should be useful to anyone concerned with fashion and the textile industry, and anyone interested in symbol and ritual in the evolution of traditional societies.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
'THE SHINING CLOTH' is an impressive book that should appeal to anyone with an interest in the arts. Its subtitle - 'Dress And Adornment That Glitters' - doesn't begin to do justice to the range it covers and the wealth of references within its pages. Part One - 'Silks and Surfaces' - though superbly illustrated, is concerned with a fairly conventional area of textiles that has already been touched on elsewhere (see for instance 'Embroidered Textiles: Traditional Patterns From Five Continents' by Sheila Paine). Parts Two and Three however - 'Materials From The Earth' and 'Gifts From Nature' - contain page after page of stunning photographs showing every conceivable kind of surface adornment, as well as some that I personally could never have thought of. My favourite items are all ones that are described as having been used for shamanic purposes - a porcupine quill hat, a piece of 'armoured' dress embellished with a multitude of bronze and copper mirrors, and a cloth with a collection of thokchag fastened to it (thokchag is Tibetan for 'things fallen from the sky'). To me, these particular items have a fascinating quality of darkness and severity about them that is highlighted by their inclusion among the more obviously exotic pieces that make up the rest of the book. Beetle wings, iridescent feathers, fern stems, orchid straw, mirrors, buttons, animal's teeth, seeds, insect larvae - anything that can be threaded, stitched or woven seems to have been pressed into service by human beings somewhere in the world in their desire to create articles of lasting beauty.
All this plus an exemplary text that covers such topics as the history of mirrors, the uses of hematite in Pre-European contact Alaska and the religious and symbolic significance of shells, in an unpretentious and accessible format. The bibliography is a feast in its own right, and suggests plenty of enticing avenues for further exploration.
'THE SHINING CLOTH' would make an excellent present, but be warned: you may find you can't bear to part with it once you've looked inside, and end up having to buy two copies.
amw
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
10 reviews
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Still Amazed at Shining Cloth
15 Jan 2002
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
A hobbyist's interest in textiles, sewing and garb drew me into the mysterious worlds presented in this fascinating and unique book. I am not a textiles professional, but I am able to appreciate it in many forms, whether tribal or ethnic, European, or the latest molecular likeness from DuPont. Dismissed by some as a "coffee table" book, The Shining Cloth actually is on my coffee table, where it has lain since its publication. Friends leaf through its wondrous pages, the unknown surfacing in unfathomable meaning from weave, creative decorations, the illustrious imagination that calls on a feather, a gold thread, some beads, and yes, a reflective dot, as a kind of speechless communication. I learned from The Shining Cloth of the metals used for reflection before the advent of the common mirror. Indigo and various dye from nature created signature fabric and design. Such explanations have parallels in my specialty -- food -- that is, people everywhere survive in ingenious ways. Tribal peoples continue even today an unshakeable superstitious dread of what their ancestors called the "evil eye." That their strategy for security could be the armour formed by the industrious and loving construction of a sparkling piece of clothing might have softened a terrifying life or added beauty to a bleak one. The entire subject begs inquiry and demands respect. Ms. Rivers' research certainly got my attention.
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful
"The Shining Cloth" sparkles!
23 Aug 2001
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I must take to task the two very mean-spirited reviews of Victoria Z. Rivers book, "The Shining Cloth." I am not a European antique dealer, nor am I a textile historian perhaps those two reviewers will find enough fire within themselves to publish what they want, expect, or need . . . yet another book on European textiles? What I am is a lover of textiles. I love to look at them; I love to feel them; I love their beauty. And I love the fact that textiles have permeated cultures throughout time a timeless connection between then and now.
"The Shining Cloth" is not a stuffy textbook yawn that puts people to sleep. Even children would love the photographs and delight in discovering how the objects were used. The book is visually stunning, with careful examples of Ms. Rivers choosing. It is one authors viewpoint. It is not a book that attempts to tell everything that ever was about every fabric that ever had a reflective surface thankfully! Who needs a book that weighs a ton that costs a fortune? Hey, the whole family can enjoy this one and at Amazons price point at..., its a bargain!
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
meaningful materials and talismanic adornments
4 Aug 2006
Format:Paperback
What a fabulous fascinating book. There are not many books on this subject. I found this one after purchasing a book called "Amulets" by Sheila Paine which is also highly recommended. "Shining Cloth" is full of gorgeous pictures and interesting anthropological, historical, and cultural information. Tribal and native textiles from all over the world are represented, including Africa, Japan, India, South America. I can't imagine why anyone object to a book devoted to these wonderful cultures and their use of textiles so vehemently they would write four negative reviews (all obviously from the same person) denouncing the book. Is that some kind of elitist snobbery and outrage suggesting that only westernized "civilized" collections of textiles should be the subject of a book. How bizarre and short sighted. There are many people like me who appreciate this material and don't see enough of it. There are hundreds of books on the more conventional and well known textiles and their histories. Certainly there is room for a few alternative views. The richness and diversity of these cultures should not be lost. Thank you Victoria Rivers for putting this together.
The cover and title are also not misleading in any way as claimed in another review. Anyone who is familiar with textiles should recognize the mirror work and beadwork patterns of the nomadic people of northern India. How could a book about tribal textiles be misleading when it puts tribal textile patterns on the cover? The book claims to be about "dress and adornment that glitter" and that is exactly what it is about. The book investigates cultures that are invested in glittering and shining materials and how they are used in textiles. My only complaint about the book is that the binding is not well done and came apart from the rest of the book too easily. However, the content and format of the book deserves five stars so I give it five stars and a warning about the binding.
The cover and title are also not misleading in any way as claimed in another review. Anyone who is familiar with textiles should recognize the mirror work and beadwork patterns of the nomadic people of northern India. How could a book about tribal textiles be misleading when it puts tribal textile patterns on the cover? The book claims to be about "dress and adornment that glitter" and that is exactly what it is about. The book investigates cultures that are invested in glittering and shining materials and how they are used in textiles. My only complaint about the book is that the binding is not well done and came apart from the rest of the book too easily. However, the content and format of the book deserves five stars so I give it five stars and a warning about the binding.
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