Just in time for the holiday season, FIDM Museum Registrar/Coordinator Leigh Wishner shares her research on our 'Toy Solider' textile fragment, likely inspired by the 1934 MGM classic Babes in Toyland. Read on to learn how this dynamic textile was made - including rare photographs of the fabric in production at the mill, courtesy of the Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, Delaware. Grab a mug of hot cocoa and join us for a trip to 'mystic, merry Toyland!'
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Printed Cotton Fragment (probably a furnishing fabric)
1935-1938
Gift of Roberta Tuller
2006.865.9
Have you ever wondered how a pattern is printed onto fabric? There are many methods, and textiles often provide clues that help determine which technique was used. I have a wonderful case study in textile printing to share with you, and it all started with a fragment...
It’s easy to dismiss a fragment or swatch as a “just a scrap”—something most people would toss into the trash. Though museums strive to collect textiles that meet certain display criteria, such as full selvedge widths at substantial lengths, textile fragments can meaningfully supplement any collection. Sometimes a fragment's rarity is all the justification a curator needs to add it (however miniscule) to their institution’s holdings. In other circumstances, small pieces can be valuable teaching tools in educational settings or study collection resources. A fragment may even be exhibited if it has an impactful story to tell.
Babes in Toyland film poster (1934)
Still image from “March of the Wooden Soldiers” scene
This printed fragment is a FIDM Museum staff-favorite, especially at this time of year when we shop for toys to delight the little ones in our lives. If you’ve seen the 1934 Laurel and Hardy classic film Babes in Toyland, then you must recall the memorable “March of the Wooden Soldiers” sequence (and if you haven’t seen it, you should!) This dynamic pattern features formations of soldiers aligned at sharply angled perspectives; some march with bent knees while others stand at attention. A leader, dressed in Royal Guard finery, is followed closely by columns of paired drummers and dutiful soldiers. The colors are rich yet limited to just six. Even though the uniformed soldiers look more realistic than their Hollywood counterparts, I feel there’s a compelling connection here.
Selvedge of fragment