Re: term definition (foxing & crocking)

[Joan Kiplinger <jkip@xxxxxxxxx>]

  Mary -- three of my textile references gave these defintions:

1.  Foxy color cotton-- Br term for stained deep red color
    No listing for foxing
    Fairchilds Dictionary of Textiles, 7th ed, 1996

2.  Foxy color cotton-- raw cotton with reddish stains
     No listing for foxing
     Modern Textile & Apparel Dictionary, George Linton, 1973

3.  Foxed and Foxy  -- pertaining shoe leather pieces
     Drygoodsman''s Handy Dictionary, 1912

4.  Foxed -- stained or discolored as an old book
     Foxing -- shoe leather
     Foxy -- wily or crafty
     Webster's New World Dictionary, 1953 [my more recent one is on loan}

Re crocking -- thanx for clarifying that. Now, is there a standard or recognized term for holes caused by improper dye practices or applications?

"Mary W. Ballard" wrote:

> Gee, I use the term "foxing" to describe the rusty brown circular spots on cellulosic material whether they occur on paper or cotton. Hideo Arai identified and characterized the source as from absolute tonophilic (xerophilic fungi) that react at certain conditions. Of course, that doesn't mean my use of the term is correct! I checked the BCHIN files & there are 117 references to foxing (Mary Lou Florian, etc). There is 1 to foxy and the reference is to the differences in tanning Harness Leather. This suggests that foxing is more widely used in conservation, but again, that doesn't mean that foxy isn't a textile term. What literature sources do you have? 19th or 20th century? There are some great terms around. It would be nice to track this down.
> As to crocking, there are test methods for crocking (dye transfer by rubbing) set down by the American Association of Textile Chemists & Colorists www.aatcc.org In this context, crocking refers to the lack of rub fastness of the dye, rather than to the condition of the fabric. That's not to say that there haven't been other regional usages of the word! Mary