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A reader has provided some pages from the 1928 E. Frette catalog. The company specialized in quality linnen items including clothing. One page offered white linnens for younger boys 2-9 years old. The catalog is notable for the fact that much of it is devoted to minor price increases for very small size increases. As was the case of some other European catalogs, the sizes are expressed in a lenngth measure (centimeters) and not ages. The height is not the height of the boy, but the height of the garment. The page offers both sleepwear and underwear. The sleepwear is both pajamas and night shirts. The underwear is both a romper-style combination and an undershirt and underpants set.
E. Frette explains that the linens for younger boys are offered in various sizes. Pronta nelle seguenti misueri (Ready in the following sixes). There are five different misueri (sizes). So mucg space is devoted to this that there is no room to describe the characteristics and features of the garments. Misura 0 per anni 2-3 (Size 0 for ages 2-3 years); Misura 1 per anni 4-5 (Size 1 for ages 4-5 years); Misura 2 per anni 6-7 years); Misura 3 per anni 8 (Size 3 for age 8 year); and Misura 4 per 9 (Size 4 for age 9 years). And for no reason this information is repeated twice.
Linen is the fabric woven from flax yars. One of the earlist plants used in the manufacture of clothing is flax. The flax plant is associate with the dawn of civilization where is was cultivated as a crop for food and fiber. The flax plant was extensuvely used for the production of linen in Egypt and other ancient civilizations and is still used today. The production and use of linen was significantly affcted by Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin in 1793.
There are three marcas (brands or styles) of nightwear. As there are two nightshirts and one pair of pajamas. This suggesta that nightshirts were still very common in Italy.
Marca 863 is decribed as 'Camicina da giorno di madapola." That translates as 'Madapolam day night shirt.' We have no idea what a day night shirt was, perhaps worn instead of an undershirt. We just have no idea. Ot looks like agarment that could have been worn as a type of shirt. We were not sure what Madapolam means, but it appears to be a type of weave. The name comes from the eponymous village near Narsapur, West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, India, where the East India Company had a cloth factory. Interestingly, this was the cloth weave used for the covering of the iconic World War II Havilland Mosquito. Although cotton rather thsn linnben was probably used. We are not sure about that. The rest of the space is devoted to the cost of the different sizes.
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Marca 861 is described as "Combnazione da notte di madapolam." That translates as 'Madapolam night combination. In Americand Britain the Indian term pajamas for these Indian origin hsarments was used, but not yet in Italy.
Marca 863 is decribed as 'Camicina da notte di madapolam. Moddello con collaretto." That translates as 'Madapolam nightshirt. Model with collar.
The second set of linnen garments offered by Ferette was underwear. We note two types. One type is romper type garments. The other is more recognizable modern looking garments. Again the descriptions are very limited, most of the space being devoted to the complicated pricing system. Two terms are used, 'bustina' and and 'mutande'. We are unsure just what bustina meant, but has to refer to a top or some sort of shirt, in this case an under shirt which is all suggested by a term similsr to 'bust' in English. Mutande is more easily translated. It has various meanings, all related to pants. In this case the transnlation would be underpants. The presentation is a little confusing. Tge under shirt and pants are listed separately (865 and 869). The romper like suit is listed as two comination suits done in fabric with different weaves (872 and 874).
The item here is a singlet style undershirt. It is described as 'bustina di madapolam'. Bustiuna we think was a general term for a kind of top, perhaps not even an underwear top. It may have buttoned on to the underwear pants. We are not sure. We believe these singlet undershirts were very commin in Itsly, mor commoin than in America. Almthough the garments here are only for boys up to 9 years old. Theu=y were also worn by older boys and adult men.
Here we have the under pants. They look a bit like boxers, but thgerwas no elastic waist. The description is 'Mutandine di madapolom'. Mutandine has a range of meanings, but in thus case means 'underpants'. They seem to button at the side.
We at first thought that this was a romper play suit, but seems to be a type of underwear. It is difficult to know for sure because there is so little ad copy other than the size pricing information. It is described as 'Combinaziose bustina-mutande di madapolam'. That translates as 'madapolam top and pants combination'. Notice the shoulder buton straps holding up the top.
This item was the same as item 872 only done with material that had aifferent weave. It is described as 'Combinaziose bustina-mutande di spigate'. Spigate trans lares as 'herringbone'.
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