This section is from the "A Complete Dictionary of Dry Goods" book, by George S. Cole. Also available from Amazon: A complete dictionary of dry goods and history of silk, cotton, linen, wool and other fibrous substances,: Including a full explanation of the modern processes ... together with various useful tables.
A favorite arrangement for dress goods is to arrange six colors of material in the shape of a huge fan, each section composed of a different color and material. There is no more advantageous way of showing these goods. The design is formed by bending in semi-circular shape a strip of thin, flexible lumber, to which the goods are attached at the top. At the bottom they are drawn in imitation of an opened fan. The sections should be pleated and not over a foot in width.
 
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