Calamanco, a thin fabric of worsted wool yarn, was often sold by merchant Nicholas Dupui soon after his store was first opened (1743 and 1744), with clients typically purchasing 14-15 yards of it at a time.  With a glazed or calendered surface, it could come in a number of weaves: plain, satin, damasked, and was even brocaded in floral, striped and checked designs.  

References to calamanco go back to the late 16th century, but calamanco’s heyday was from the end of the 17th century to the end of the 18th century.  It was a popular fabric for women’s gowns and petticoats and men’s waistcoats, though it was gradually replaced by cotton and linen calico as a dress fabric.

Confirming this latter point, even from the earliest days, we do see a developing customer preference at Dupui's store for the slightly more expensive linen calico (sold more often, although in substantially smaller units of yardage). The calamancoe fabric was, however, more commonly used in shoes, and for bed coverings, and surviving fragments are often found in quilts of the era, or as the linings of quilted silk petticoats, where the cheaper calamancoe fabric would provide some warmth beneath the more fashionable silk exterior. During the eighteenth century, English calamanco was patterned with multiple colors, stripes, flowers or brocades. Most often one sees this fabric making its appearance in theft and grand larceny reports wherein indictments for the stealing of calamancoe pockets, cushions, waistcoats and gowns are sufficiently prevalent.