New database - Commercial Patterns Archive

CoPA Commercial Pattern Archive
The Commercial Pattern Archive database, CoPA, provides a unique tool for researchers and designers to recreate or date clothing from 1868 to 2000. There are several collections from the States, Canada and the UK represented in the database which functions like a Union Catalog of pattern collections. The cornerstone of CoPA is the Betty Williams Collection. Betty Williams, a theatrical costumer in New York City, pioneered research on commercial patterns in the early 1980s. She became a leader in the field, establishing a major personal pattern collection and encouraging others to actively participate in the collection and storage of patterns. Betty passed away in 1997 leaving a wealthy legacy of research, and an extensive pattern collection now housed at the University of Rhode Island. The Williams Collection is combined with the URI and Joy Spanabel Emery Collections in the Commercial Pattern Archive in URI Library Special Collections.
To login, contact the RISD Library Reference Desk for the username and password.

Dazzle @ RISD

Update: The first floor of the exhibit (including history of camouflage and dazzle plans and photos) will be opened until April 9, 2009.

Bedazzled Exhibit

Fleet Library at RISD, January 26-March 29, 2009 during library hours (Monday-Friday 8:30am-7pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, and Sunday noon-7pm).

Artists at War: Exploring the Connections Between Art and Camouflage Symposium

The symposium will be in the Michael P. Metcalf Auditorium in RISD’s Chace Center on February 14, 2009 from 2-4 pm.

These events are free and open to the public.

Partial funding provided by a minigrant from the Rhode Island Council for Humanities.

For more information see risd.edu/dazzle.

Press:
Core77
our.risd.edu
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