Brown Fleming and the Haarlem collection : the European production of Dutch wax prints for West Africa

This book details how, at the end of the nineteenth century, imitations of Indonesian batik, manufactured in Europe and initially intended for the South-East Asian market, enjoyed unexpected success on the west coast of Africa. There, around 1895, the Scottish merchant Ebenezer Brown Fleming was the first to introduce Dutch wax-printed batiks produced by the Haarlem firm of Previnaire. In Africa, these were not compared to original batiks but appreciated for their own character and outstanding quality. Gradually, Brown Fleming adapted the prints to the tastes of his African customers, giving the prints a new identity. Unlike his competitors, he also added designs and motifs to meet the requirements of his African patrons. In this way, a collection of designs was created, now known as the Haarlem Collection, that have become classics and remain in print today. These designs are now considered an archetypal element of African print.

Based on the discovery of hundreds of cloth samples surviving in excellent condition even from the initial period, this book presents a compelling visual history of Dutch wax prints. Original research in Dutch, English and Swiss archives enabled not only the reconstruction of the earliest collections, but allows the reader to follow the story down to the last surviving company, Vlisco. The resulting book is not just addressed to design and business historians, but is for anyone interested in textiles, dress and cross-cultural exchange.