Brown Fleming and the Haarlem collection: the European production of Dutch wax prints for West-Africa

Abstract

"This book details how, at the end of the nineteenth century, imitations of Indonesian batik, manufactured in Europe and initially intended for the South-East Asian market, enjoyed unexpected success on the west coast of Africa. There, around 1895, the Scottish merchant Ebenezer Brown Fleming was the first to introduce Dutch wax-printed batiks produced by the Haarlem firm of Prévinaire. In Africa, these were not compared to original batiks but appreciated for their own character and outstanding quality. Gradually, Brown Fleming adapted the prints to the tastes of his African customers, giving the prints a new identity. Unlike his competitors, he also added designs and motifs to meet the requirements of his African patrons. In this way, a collection of designs was created, now known as the Haarlem Collection, that have become classics and remain in print today. These designs are now considered an archetypal element of African print" -- Provided by publisher.