In section 9.3 Fusion of internal modifier and head, The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language (Page 417) says:
(d) Modifiers denoting colour, provenance, and composition
[25] i Henrietta likes red shirts, and I like [blue].
ii Knut wanted the purple wallpaper, but I wanted [the mauve].
iii Henrietta likes Russian vodka, and I like [Polish].
iv Knut wanted the French caterers, but I wanted [the Italian].
v I prefer cotton shirts to [nylon].
vi Knut likes malt whisky, but I prefer [blended].
The NPs here are either bare or have a definite determiner; there is significant loss of acceptability when the determiner is indefinite:
[26] i ?Harvey bought a red shirt and I bought [a blue].
ii ?I bought some Chinese food rather than [some Indian].
iii ?I bought a cotton shirt rather than [a nylon].
In [26], does the acceptability increase if the determiner is removed as in [26']?
[26'] i Harvey bought a red shirt and I bought [blue].
ii I bought some Chinese food rather than [Indian].
iii I bought a cotton shirt rather than [nylon].
Here are some attested examples that might suggest [26'] i-iii do work.
For those who prefer their international cricket played with a red ball rather than white, the past six weeks have required a great deal of patience.
(The Guardian, Aug 2022)
Unlike the previous version, the new Messages and Contacts app icons do not use shadows and feature a white background rather than blue.
(Android Police, Oct 2022)
