[Ads-l] barathea (cloth), antedating OED 1862 9origin unknown

[Stephen Goranson]

Thanks, colleague!
Stephen

On Tue, Apr 28, 2026 at 6:58 PM ADSGarson O'Toole <
00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:

> Stephen: The word "Baratheas" does appear in an advertisement for
> fabrics in 1752. See the link further below to see a scan.
>
> Date: November 6, 1752
> Newspaper: The Caledonian Mercury
> Newspaper County: Midlothian, Scotland
> Section: Advertisements
> Note: Advertisement from David Inglis
> Quote Page 4, Column 2
> Database: British Newspaper Archive
>
> [Begin excerpt - please double-check for typos]
> ADVERTISEMENTS
>
> On Tuesday the 14th of November instant, will be sold
> off at prime Cost, for ready Money, by DAVID INGLIS, at
> his Shop opposite to the Cross, an Assortment of superfine,
> middling and coarse Cloths, Forrest Cloths, German Searges,
> Devonshire Kerteys, Barrogans, Baratheas, Plain and Corded
> Druggets, Camblets, Single and Double Alapeens, Hair and
> Worsted Plushes, Cotton Velvets, and Manchester Goods;
> [End excerpt]
>
> Here is a link to an x-tweet that displays a scan of the advertisment:
> https://x.com/QuoteResearch/status/2049260219390140758
>
> Garson
>
> On Tue, Apr 28, 2026 at 10:23 AM Stephen Goranson
> <00001dd3d6fc15d3-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> >
> > Wikipedia may be mistaken on the 1840s origin of barathea. The Times
> > [London] Friday, August 9, 1793, page 4, column 4, bottom announces a
> > bankruptcy sale of stock from a “Mercer and Button Seller” listing many
> > kinds of cloth including “Baratheas.”
> >
> > The Observer [London] May 20, 1838 1/5 “….received from his Agent in
> > Paris…Baratheas….”
> >
> > British Newspaper Archive–messy non-subscription preview only–Nov. 6,
> 1752
> > [?], Caledonian Mercury [Midlothian, Scotland] “…Cloths…Baratheas…”
> >
> > Gale [more reliable than the above preview], Caledonian Mercury
> [Edinburgh,
> > Scotland], June 27, 1808, “…Barathea…Silk…”
> >
> > OED “Of unknown origin."
> >
> > "A cloth of a fine texture composed of a silk warp and woollen weft, also
> > of cotton and wool and entirely of wool."
> >
> > Any subscriber care to check British Newspaper Archive?
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

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