Julian Raby

The best work on Ottoman textiles -- IF you get the hardback (which is what I have cataloged here). It used to be somewhat rare, but the recent re-release has put many more copies in circulation.
The reason to get the hardback is the 300+ pages of insane detail on Ottoman Silk production, much of which is SCA-period, and well-dated/documented to boot. Every aspect, from the way silkworms came to Ottoman lands to the final disposition of garments once a person died, is touched on.
The book show more even contains the weaving patterns for most of the major silk fabric types, so you can play along at home – as soon as you build one of the two-story drawlooms, also diagrammed here.
The images of garments are gorgeous, of course, however they are also not the best for reproduction, as they focus on details of weaving design over showing the entire garment in many images. show less