Length: 53.5”

Width: 3.125”

Here’s an Irish poplin necktie that’s tightly woven but with a sunny disposition, printed with an interlocking chain and petal motif in blue and pale pink on yellow. Quite a departure from the typical regimental stripe! 50% silk and 50% wool, hand-made in Ireland by Richard Atkinson & Co., Ltd., c.1960s. Excellent vintage condition.

Irish Poplin is a cloth comprising a pure dye silk organzine stripe warp and a worsted wool weft; although similar in appearance to the more common silk repp, it is notably sturdier with a drier hand, and better preserves the true colors of its dyes. Introduced to Ireland by Huguenot refugees and intended for use in making dresses, (Royal) Irish Poplin won favor as a cravating fabric by the end of the 19th century, and it is still used in making scarves and neckties today. None of its manufacturers is more famous than the Belfast-based Atkinsons. Founded in Dublin in 1820, Richard Atkinson & Co., Ltd. made a name for itself weaving the cloth, even obtaining the company a royal warrant from Queen Victoria in 1837.