Dark, seductive antique French ribbon sample books

Let me take you on a dark journey into the bellows of our family archive room. This particular visit, I spent most of my time on the floor, in the semi dark (conditions to preserve the archives), taking photographs of the archive book spines.

My pulse starts racing every time I enter, inhaling the smell of old paper, aging silk, dust and pure magic.

I lifted one book down from the shelf.

Collections Noires.... pages the most incredible electric blue, a hint of its bewitching contents spilling over the pages.

Old Ledgers filled with handwritten notes on the year, weight, material, cost per metre, clients, colourways.

How beautiful is this trim, each time I catch a glimpse of these 140 year ribbons and trims it never fails to astonish me how timeless the designs were, they were as relevant then as they are now.