• Home
  • ABOUT
  • Pick Your Fix
    • Advertising
    • Architecture
    • Civics & Rights
    • Entertainment
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Holidays
    • Home Life
    • Interior Design
    • Science & Tech
    • Transportation
  • The Library
    • Books on My Shelf
    • BLOGS I FOLLOW
  • Adventures in the Field
    • In Search of Stuff
    • In & Around New England
    • In & Around Michigan
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • RSS

My History Fix

the Fun Side of History!

MAUVE: THE COLOR THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

May 2, 2014

This story will prove the old saying “one thing leads to another” to be true…you never know where life will take you or what kind of impact one person or event can have!

Mauve Victorian Dress collage

From the collection at Kent State University, via Barb Smith, Pinterest.

I am willing to bet you haven’t heard of William Perkin before.  I hadn’t.  He is the English chemist (and I don’t mean pharmacist) whose work started science-based industry as we know it today.

I promise I won’t bore you with chemistry formulas and jargon (I’m no chemist myself!), I just find his story fascinating.

A CHEMICAL ROMANCE

Believe it or not, in the 1850’s chemistry was not given much respect.  Most schools didn’t teach it.  There was distrust in the process—some thought it was a bunch of hocus-pocus.

Even so, young William Perkin was intrigued by chemistry.

Young William Perkin

Perkin at age 14. Public domain via chemheritage.org.

Naturally inquisitive, at age thirteen William matriculated to the City of London School. There he found chemistry was available as an elective given during two lunch periods per week—yes, this boy gave up lunch to learn chemistry!

At fifteen Perkin went to the Royal College to study under the famous chemist August Hofmann.  That was 1853.  In just a few short years Perkin made his fortune, and changed the world.

A STRANGE THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY…

One way or another we have all been influenced by our teachers.  Malaria was a huge problem in the 19th century.  It was August Hofmann’s particular dream to find the synthetic equivalent to the only medicine that effectively treated malaria: quinine. Derived from cinchona bark, it was rather scarce.

You really didn’t want to contract malaria. Ignorance and scarcity led to the usual bad medicine of the time: blood-letting, administration of mercury…or…you could eat a spider.  Or just carry one in a nutshell.

A standard cure was needed.  So wanting to impress, Perkin pursued his teachers cause on his own time, focusing his research on coal-tar, a by-product of the gas industry. Think of all the gaslight in London at the time…a use for the waste would be welcomed!

One day, Perkins was cleaning up the by-product from a failed experiment, and found it stained cloth purple.  It was one of those unexpected results of experimentation…and had nothing to do with a cure for malaria.

So in 1856 William Perkin discovered the first artificial color and hence, the entire chemical engineering industry was born.

Perkin & Sons Factory

Perkin & Sons Factory, c. 1858. Public Domain.

I SAY MAUVE, YOU SAY MORV…

At the time, a true man of science would not be caught dead discovering new ways to make clothes pretty.

But this “stain” proved to be color-fast, not fading with washing or exposure to sun—major issues in the textile industry of the day. And generally purple was a tricky color to produce, the reason it was associated with royalty.

Initially the only way to get purple was from the mucus glands of the Murex genus of mollusks, and then a French company discovered how to get it from lichen, a product known as French Purple.

In fact, “mauve” is what the French called the color, and the English adopted the word, so Perkin’s chemical was named mauveine.

His timing was perfect.  The Empress Eugenie of France had taken a liking to the extravagant color… Unlimited Budget + High Profile = Demand!

At that very time women’s magazines started hitting the stands.  These magazines featured the Empress’ love of mauve (or as the English pronounced it, morv) and women wanted to emulate her…the market was ripe!

Perkin was 18 years old when he applied for a patent.  By 1857 he had the kinks worked out and entered the dye market…bringing purple to the masses, and so much more!

First Punch Cover

The first cover of Punch, 1841. Public Domain.

Mauve Victorian Dress

Vintage mauve dress, from the book Mauve by Simon Garfield.

Empress Eugenie in Mauve

The Empress Eugenie in mauve, by Winterhalter. Public Domain.

 

As with most fads mauve burned hot and fast.  So hot that at its height “mauve mania” was dubbed Mauve Measles by the satirical mag Punch, “…Although the mind is certainly affected by the malady, it is chiefly on the body that its effects are noticeable.”

Mauve raged until 1861, in part thanks to the popular hoop skirt.  Women had more acreage to show off with, and what was more showy than mauve?!

Crinoline cartoon Punch Magazine

Making fun of fashion, Punch, October 4, 1856. CRINOLINE CONVENIENT SOMETIMES. A WARNING TO MOTHERS.
Troublesome Parent.”Who was making that noise, Clara?”
Clara. “Only me and Moustache, Mamma!”
Public Domain.

By the mid-1860’s mauve had transformed from a fancy, fun look to a symbol of mourning.  Queen Victoria herself, who after losing her Albert spent four years in black, made the move to mauve.

By 1869 the fad was over.

THE BAD WITH THE GOOD

After several more years in the dye industry, William Perkin sold his production plant and retired at the ripe old age of thirty-five. 

Perkin’s success in coal-tar derivatives impacted society both for good and bad:

William Henry Perkin c. 1906

Perkin, c. 1906. Public Domain.

  • His dyes were able to stain the tuberculosis and cholera bacteria, enabling further research into treatment and prevention.
  • They also made their way into the food industry particularly in candy and meat at the time (and they still are in our food).
  • Further research enabled the pioneering of immunology and chemotherapy.
  • There was concern and controversy over toxins leaching out of fabrics especially when dampened by rain or sweat.  The shah of Persia forbid the import of these dyes as he did not want to risk the reputation of Persian rugs.

Testament to the profound impact William Perkin had is the annual bestowing of the Perkin Medal, the highest honor given in the U.S. chemical industry. He was the first recipient on the fiftieth anniversary of the discovery of mauveine in 1906. The men who attended the ceremonial banquet all wore mauve ties.

Perkin learned later in life that his grandfather had been an alchemist. The goal of alchemy is to turn base material into gold…something William actually managed to do by following his passion!

I know I’ll never look at purple clothes the same way!  What about you?  Do you have a similar story of a surprise turn of events in your own life?  Tell us in the comments!

Punch cartoon 1856 Crinolines.

Those crazy crinolines! Punch cartoon, 1856.

SOURCES:

Garfield, Simon. 2000. Mauve: How One Man Invented a Color That Changed the World.  New York, NY. W. W. Norton & Company.

Perkin, W. H.  On Mauve or Aniline-Purple.  Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Vol. 13 (1863-1864): 170-176.

Travis, Anthony S.   Perkin’s Mauve: Ancestor of the Organic Chemical Industry. Technology and  Culture, Vol. 31 No. 1 (January 1990): 51-82.

Filed Under: Fashion, Science & Tech Leave a Comment

<- BLUE MONDAY…OR ALL PRAISE THE WASHING MACHINE!
HOUSE OF TOMORROW: A MACHINE FOR LIVING ->

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Never Miss a Fix!

ABOUT

Thanksgiving

IT’S THANKSGIVING!

It’s been some time since I shared a book on my shelf, and look what I found… Thanksgiving: The Biography of an American Holiday, by the Director of Research at Plimoth Plantation, James W. … [Read More...]

WONDER WOMAN: ORIGINAL GIRL POWER

“Frankly Wonder Woman is psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who, I believe, should rule the world.” …so declared her creator Dr. William Moulton Marston. That’s right, this … [Read More...]

Colorful gumballs

VENDING MACHINES: FASCINATING, CONVENIENT, AND OLDER THAN YOU THINK!

Three o’clock p.m. Time for a trip to Mr. Vending! You know what I’m talking about, that point in the day between lunch and dinner…hunger starts to rear its ugly head and the next meal seems eons … [Read More...]

Jell-O Cubes

JELL-O SHOTS…FUN, ODD & CREEPY…

You might need a Jell-O Shot after some of these delectable nuggets! Cola-flavored Jell-O was introduced in 1942, but was de-listed in 1943.  Yum.   Jell-O ads from the 1920’s are … [Read More...]

Rosie the Riveter, for real

ROSIE THE RIVETER

I love the iconic “We Can Do It” poster—I bought a t-shirt of it back in the early 1990’s, and wore it until it fell apart! Come to find out, this graphic was not originally known as Rosie the … [Read More...]

FOLLOW MY HISTORY FIX ON INSTAGRAM!

Walking that tight rope forward! Wishing health, p Walking that tight rope forward! Wishing health, prosperity and peace to all in 2021! ✨ #vintage #newyearbaby #happynewyear #greetingcards
Merry Christmas everyone! 🎄 This is a small por Merry Christmas everyone! 🎄 This is a small portion of my vintage Christmas collection. The tall gold angel is my childhood tree topper❤️ #vintage #vintagechristmas #christmas #elves #angels
Happy Thanksgiving! This sweet little pin was made Happy Thanksgiving! This sweet little pin was made by Hallmark c. 1976. I was happy to find it, as I had one as a child! It’s nestled in a bracelet made of dimes. Both can be found—along with many other treasures— @thoreaulyantiques in Concord, MA. #vintage #thanksgiving #jewelry
Boston’s South End, from a walk a few weeks back Boston’s South End, from a walk a few weeks back. #boston #architecture #masonry #cityphotography #southendboston
This sweet vase is one of my favorite finds— @th This sweet vase is one of my favorite finds— @thoreaulyantiques ❤️ #vintage #antique #vases #artdeco
My cat and her namesake.❤️❤️❤️ #cat #c My cat and her namesake.❤️❤️❤️ #cat #catsofinstagram #rosemaryclooney #bookstagram @mimi.clooney.trixie
HOW COOL IS THIS AD? ❤️❤️❤️ c. 1903 Li HOW COOL IS THIS AD? ❤️❤️❤️ c. 1903 Life Magazine.
#automotive #advertising #vintage #vintagecars #vintageadvertising #antique
Looking for some stability. Found this great ancho Looking for some stability. Found this great anchor knocker in Beacon Hill the other day. ❤️ #beaconhill #boston #anchor #architecture #frontdoor #decor
#blackouttuesday #blackouttuesday
Driving down an empty downtown Boston street today Driving down an empty downtown Boston street today, I took the opportunity to slam on the brakes, pull over and snap this gem in all its Deco glory!❤️ #artdeco #architecture #details #boston #design
Looking around at things with fresh eyes. I hope a Looking around at things with fresh eyes. I hope all is well with you! #books #bookstagram #antiques #artdeco #bookends #penguins #vintage #green #collection
Whenever I visit #newportri I have to see the #new Whenever I visit #newportri I have to see the #newporttower — what an amazing structure! #architecture #ancient #masonry #archeoastronomy #vibes ❤️
Happy 2020 to all!!! I am very much looking forwar Happy 2020 to all!!! I am very much looking forward to a new decade full of creativity, fulfillment and good health. This mosaic I made reminds me of being in Flow (as I was when making it) and I expect to feel more of that in the coming year and beyond. Best wishes and Happy New Year! 🎆 #2020 #happynewyear #freshstart #flow #mosaic #create #getitdone
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and that we I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and that we all make the most of the final days of 2019!🎄#christmas #christmastree #memories #holiday #vintageornaments #vintage
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2021 Cuisine Theme by Viva la Violette