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 794 items.
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Infant's comb and brush set
- Description (Brief)
- Pink cardboard box containing an infant's celluloid comb and brush set. Both comb and brush are imitation-ivory, with hand-painted pink and red floral designs and pink ribbons tied to the handles. Such sets were popular gifts for newborns.
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1492
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1492
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
glove stretcher
- Description (Brief)
- A glove stretcher made of cream and orange celluloid. It is unmarked.
- date made
- ca 1920
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1571
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1571
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Leg shoehorn
- Description (Brief)
- A shoehorn in the shape of a woman's leg. Made of laminated sheets of celluloid, its top sheet is orange and hand-painted with a red sock and black shoe. The back is the glittery Goldalure celluloid, developed in the mid-1920s. It is unmarked.
- date made
- 1925-1930
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1584
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1584
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Whale shoehorn
- Description (Brief)
- A shoehorn made of ivory-grained celluloid in the shape of a whale's tail. It was patented in May 1883.
- date made
- 1883
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1585
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1585
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Carbo Magnetic Griffon straight razor
- Description (Brief)
- A straight razor with an ivory-grained celluloid handle. The razor is contained in the orginal cardboard box. The blade, which is slightly magnetized, was made in Germany. There is no practical reason for the magnetization; it just seems to be a marketing ploy.
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1598
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1598
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Amerith powder box
- Description (Brief)
- A powder box made of orange celluloid with a pearlescent finish. The Art Deco style box has a lift-off lid that is decorated with a tulip motif. The box has the Amerith trademark. Amerith was a tradename of the Celluloid Corporation. It is also marked with the pattern name, Brinkley, which was introduced in 1929.
- date made
- ca 1929
- maker
- Celluloid Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1674
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1674
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Amerith jewelry box
- Description (Brief)
- A jewelry box made of orange celluloid with a pearlescent finish. The Art Deco style box has a hinged lid that is decorated with a tulip motif. The bottom of the box is lined with felt. It has the Amerith trademark. Amerith was a tradename of the Celluloid Corporation. It is also marked with the pattern name, Brinkley, which was introduced in 1929.
- date made
- ca 1929
- maker
- Celluloid Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1675
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1675
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Powder box
- Description (Brief)
- A powder box made of ivory-grained celluloid. The lift-off lid bears a blue monogram. The piece is unmarked.
- date made
- 1883-1910
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1676
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1676
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Hair receiver
- Description (Brief)
- A hair receiver made of ivory-grained celluloid. The lift-off lid has a blue monogram. The piece is unmarked.
- date made
- 1883-1910
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1677
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1677
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Poirier makeup box
- Description (Brief)
- A purse-size makeup box made of light brown ivory-grain celluloid. It has a mirror on the back. The box is for eye makeup and is so marked. An image of a flapper holding a folding fan with the word "Poirier" decorates the lid.
- date made
- 1920-1929
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1685
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1685
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center