Clothing & Accessories - Overview
Work, play, fashion, economic class, religious faith, even politics—all these aspects of American life and more are woven into clothing. The Museum cares for one of the nation's foremost collections of men's, women's, and children's garments and accessories—from wedding gowns and military uniforms to Halloween costumes and bathing suits.
The collections include work uniforms, academic gowns, clothing of presidents and first ladies, T-shirts bearing protest slogans, and a clean-room "bunny suit" from a manufacturer of computer microchips. Beyond garments, the collections encompass jewelry, handbags, hair dryers, dress forms, hatboxes, suitcases, salesmen's samples, and thousands of fashion prints, photographs, and original illustrations. The more than 30,000 artifacts here represent the changing appearance of Americans from the 1700s to the present day.
"Clothing & Accessories - Overview" showing 799 items.
Page 2 of 80
Evening purse
- Description (Brief)
- A fancy evening purse made of a satin pouch sewn to a celluloid frame, of mottled green and black. The pouch is covered with rings of black celluloid beads. A chain made of black celluloid links is attached to the frame. The inside is lined with red silk, and a mirror is inside the lid.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1920-1930
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.0887
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.0887
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Art Moderne hairbrush
- Description (Brief)
- A hairbrush made of black and white laminated celluloid. An Art Moderne design is on the brush back, part of which is a metal shield-shaped insert. It is unmarked.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1920-1935
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.0903
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.0903
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Art Moderne powder box
- Description (Brief)
- A powder box, round, with a lid made of black and white laminated celluloid. The box is glass. An Art Moderne design, part of which is a metal shield-shaped insert, on the lid. The box is unmarked.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1920-1935
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.0904
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.0904
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Art Moderne hand mirror
- Description (Brief)
- A hand mirror made of black and white laminated celluloid. On the mirror back is an Art Moderne design, part of which is a metal, shield-shaped insert. The mirror is unmarked.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1920-1935
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.0918
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.0918
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Pocket mirror
- Description (Brief)
- A round pocket mirror made of celluloid. A photograph of a man in a fedora is on the front.
- date made
- ca 1920
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1126
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1126
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Pocket mirror
- Description (Brief)
- A small mirror with a handle made of a velvet ribbon. Attached to the end of the ribbon is a tiny celluloid Kewpie doll. The mirror is made of ivory-grained celluloid and embossed with a floral design.
- date made
- 1885-1920
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1145
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1145
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Straight razor
- Description (Brief)
- A carbon steel razor with a molded cream celluloid handle. The handle is designed to look like the bones of a finger (phalanges).
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1254
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1254
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Grooming kit
- Description (Brief)
- A brown leather (or imitation leather), red-fabric lined, folding case containing 21 grooming implements. Five metal (scissors, clippers, tweezers, nail cleaner/file, and what appears to be a punch). Three are metal with celluloid handles and the rest are made entirely of imitation ivory celluloid. The implements and the case are unmarked.
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1424
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1424
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Bonnet brush
- Description (Brief)
- This unusual brush, called a bonnet brush, has natural bristles set into a cream celluloid base with a long handle. It's marked "Solid French Ivory."
- French Ivory was a trade name of the J. B. Ash Co. of Rockford, Ill.
- date made
- ca 1910
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1444
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1444
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Clutch purse
- Description (Brief)
- A cream celluloid clutch purse with an attached change purse inside. The clasp is a solid piece of yellow celluloid. The purse is lined with satin, and has a short leather strap on the back. It has no maker's marks.
- date made
- ca 1930
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1449
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1449
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center