Stiftelsen Skansen Museum, Sweden
Skansen is the world’s oldest open air museum on the island of Djurgården in Stockholm, Sweden. Founded by Artur Hazelius, the site was opened on the 11th October 1891 to depict life in different areas of Sweden before industrialisation.
Now containing more modern life, the 75 acre site contains structures of different eras to take visitors on a journey from 1720 through to 1965. This includes farmsteads, a manor house, a flax mill, ironmongers and saddler’s workshops to name but a few.
Tottie Residence
The Tottie Residence is a representation of the summer house belonging to wealthy merchant, Charles Tottie, in the 18th Century. The Tottie family made their fortune through importing goods, including wood, from the West Indies.
Only select parts of the house have been reconstructed however many of the rooms contain the original furniture belonging to the residents.
Tottie Residence Bedchamber
Pure Silk Damask & Lustring
Humphries Weaving were approached by Magdalena Fick, Assistant Curator to weave silk damask for the recreation of a 1774 bedroom environment within the 18th Century ‘Tottie Residence’ at Skansen. The bedroom was originally created for the wife of Charles Tottie.
There was some debate over the most appropriate green colouring for the room and there were shades considered from a Chippendale Bergere chair at the V&A Museum as well as furniture upholstery at Buckingham Palace. The decision was taken to weave a self colour emerald green which was trialled with a small bobbin warp in advance of production weaving.
The design chosen is popular for the period and can be found in other notable houses such as The Great Drawing Room and Saloon at Audley End, The Bed Chamber at Strawberry Hill and The Red Room at Hillsborough Castle.
The final room restoration consists of pure silk damask for walling and furniture upholstery aside pure silk lustring for curtain treatment.
Project References: 3277
