The recent Journal article by Dye and Sabberton (Journal WSD 267) was of considerable interest, as it highlighted the possible reconstruction of historical colours and the little-understood skills that were involved in obtaining them. The use of colour standards was also of great value in communicating the exact colour to the reader. The main colour of the Norwich Red shawl studied was identified as Cardinal Red (BCC 186). I have access to the later British Colour Council dictionary (1949). In this reference Cardinal Red is redesignated CC.16, with this interesting note: 'An old colour name used in the seventeenth century, probably originating from the colour of the robes worn by the high dignitaries of the Church' (BCC Vol. 3 p.5).
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