Clothing & Accessories

• 

  Elgin Wristwatch

  Description

  Wristwatches are relative newcomers among timekeepers. Although no one knows precisely when or where they first appeared, it is likely that the modern wristwatch dates from around 1880. About that time, fashionable women in England and Europe began to wear small watches set in leather bands around their wrists, especially for outdoor activities like hunting, horseback riding and, later, bicycling. Men, for the most part, did not wear wristwatches then. They considered them feminine jewelry.

  The Swiss pioneered wristwatch manufacturing, with American firms entering the business only in the second decade of the 20th century. This example – made by the Elgin National Watch Company of Elgin, Illinois, in 1917 just before America entered World War I – features a small mechanical movement with seven jewels. Over the dial is a metal grill to protect the crystal while still permitting a quick read of the time. Such grills acquired the nickname "shrapnel guard" during the war, when wristwatches increased in popularity with men.

  The practicality of having time at a glance, the feature that attracted active women to the style in the first place, changed military men's minds about wristwatches. As soldiers entered World War I, they experimented with fastening pocket watches to their sleeves or their legs. As the war progressed, the wristwatch became ubiquitous among male soldiers of all branches of the armed forces and female nurses who cared for the wounded. European manufacturers reportedly worked overtime to convert existing women's watches into military timepieces to meet the demand.

  This Elgin wristwatch looks much like today's. But when wristwatches first appeared, it wasn't at all clear what they should look like or how people should wear them. The location of the winding stem, or crown, was particularly puzzling. Some early wristwatches placed the crown in line with 3:00 on the dial, others at 9:00. Also unclear was how the watch dial should be oriented on the strap. Should 12:00 and 6:00 line up with the strap or at a right angle to it? By the 1910s, the position of the crown and the orientation on the strap, for the most part, conformed to the style we know today.

  In addition to a variety of appearances, the earliest versions of the newfangled timekeeper had a variety of names. Early advertisements called it "wrist strap watch" or just "strap watch" for men and "watch bracelet," "bracelet watch," "wristlet watch" or simply "wristlet" for women. After World War I, watch manufacturers tried to negate the wristwatch's feminine image by advertising that reassured men of the wristwatch's sturdy masculinity. But even as late as 1943, wristwatches were still called "bracelet watches" or "wristlets," recalling feminine jewelry.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  date made

  ca 1917

  manufacturer

  Elgin National Watch Co.

  ID Number

  ME.333963

  catalog number

  333963

  accession number

  304914

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Helen Keller's Watch

  Description

  This unusual watch, originally made to tell time in the dark, made the perfect present for Helen Keller. Deaf and blind from the age of nineteen months, Keller (1880-1968) grew up to become an accomplished writer and renowned champion for human rights.

  In 1892, when she was twelve, Keller met John Hitz, the superintendent of Alexander Graham Bell's Washington, D.C. establishment for the deaf, the Volta Bureau. Hitz, a retired diplomat, was the proud owner of a Swiss-made "touch watch." This uncommon watch has a case studded around the edge with pins that correspond to the hours on the watch dial. A revolving hand stops at a point between the pins that corresponds to the hour and approximate minute. With the hand and pins as locators, it was possible to feel the approximate time in the dark or, in the case of a diplomat like Hitz, discreetly. Hitz presented the watch to Keller, who prized it and used it her entire life.

  Once, in 1952, Keller accidentally left the watch behind in a New York City taxi. She feared it was lost forever. With ads in newspaper lost-and-found columns and the help of the head of the city's pawnbrokers, she recovered her prized possession from a hock shop.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  Date made

  ca 1865

  associated person

  Keller, Helen

  maker

  Rossel & Fils

  ID Number

  ME.335239

  catalog number

  335239

  accession number

  314555

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Spectacles

  Description

  In the nineteenth century this type of eyewear was referred to as eye protectors or railroad glasses. They have four colored lenses and were worn to help protect weak eyes from bright light, dust, and the wind when out riding or driving. They have steel frames with double lenses (sometimes referred to as Double-D lenses) and are tinted different shades of blue and blue-green. Lenses could be found in shades of blue, green, amber, and gray. The bows are sliding extension temples terminating in a teardrop-shaped fenestration. This pair of eyeglasses date from about 1850.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  date made

  ca 1850

  ID Number

  MG.317912.064

  accession number

  317912

  catalog number

  317912.064

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Spectacles

  Description

  These black wire mesh goggles with oval aqua-colored lenses were designed to protect the eyes from the wind and dust. A cotton cord wraps around the head to keep the goggles secure. Advertisements suggested the goggles would be particularly useful keeping cinders from the eyes while traveling in a railroad car.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  date made

  ca 1860

  maker

  unknown

  ID Number

  MG.317912.088

  accession number

  317912

  catalog number

  317912.088

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Spectacles

  Description

  These silver-framed eyeglasses with round lenses are know as Martin's Margins. They were invented by Benjamin Martin (1704–1782), an instrument maker from London, England. The dark rims were supposed to protect wearers from excessive light and improve their vision. This pair probably dates from the second half of the eighteenth century. Most Martin's Margins frames are made from steel or silver and have either horn or tortoiseshell rims.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  date made

  1750-1800

  maker

  unknown

  ID Number

  MG.M-11223

  accession number

  260033

  catalog number

  M-11223

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Buckskin coat

  Description

  Physical Description

  Double-breasted buckskin coat, with fringe on the pockets and collar and along the sleeves.

  Specific History

  This buckskin coat was worn by Custer when he was a lieutenant colonel with the 7th U.S. Cavalry in the Dakotas. It was one of several owned and worn by Custer, who preferred to dress like a frontiersman while out West.

  In 1912, Custer's widow, Elizabeth, donated this buckskin coat to the Smithsonian as a tribute to her husband.

  General History

  George Armstrong Custer was born in 1839 in New Rumley, Ohio; by 1857, he was enrolled as a cadet in the U.S. Military Academy at West Point upon appointment by a congressman. He graduated last in his class of thirty-four. During the Civil War, he became known for his fearlessness (some said recklessness) in battle; indeed, he was promoted to the rank of Major General by age twenty-five. He figured prominently in General Philip Sheridan's campaign in the Shenandoah Valley in 1864; at the surrender at Appomattox in April 1865, Sheridan gave Custer's wife Elizabeth the table on which the surrender was signed.

  After the war, George Custer reverted to the rank of captain. He was given command of the newly formed Seventh Cavalry in 1866 and elevated to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He gained a reputation as an Indian fighter who often ignored orders if they did not suit his sense of self-aggrandizement. His recklessness finally caught up to him on June 25, 1876, when he and his five cavalry companies were annihilated by a combined force of thousands of Sioux and Cheyenne warriors at Little Big Horn, Montana.

  In 1864, George Custer married Elizabeth (Libby) Bacon. Libby followed her husband on campaign during the Civil War, and even went with him to the frontier. After his death, she crusaded to perpetuate the image of her husband as a gallant soldier; to this end, she undertook speaking engagements and wrote several books.

  In 1912, she donated this coat to the Smithsonian in memory of her husband.

  date made

  ca 1870

  wearer

  Custer, George Armstrong

  ID Number

  AF.013044

  catalog number

  13044

  accession number

  54045

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Zouave Uniform

  Description

  General History

  The uniform of the 5th New York Volunteer Infantry (Duryée's Zouaves), 1861, consisted of a distinctive jacket, vest, sash, baggy trousers, and fez. The Zouave uniform adopted on both sides by many volunteer units during the first year of the Civil War was based on that of the elite Zouave battalion of the French Army, whose dashing appearance matched its fighting abilities. In their turn, the French Zouaves modeled their uniform and drill after the native dress and fearless tactics of their former Algerian opponents, encountered in the course of the colonial war of the 1830s.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  ID Number

  AF.24954.01

  accession number

  64127

  catalog number

  24954.01

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Buffalo Coat

  Description

  Physical Description

  Specific History

  According to legend, this coat was made from the skin of a buffalo killed by Buffalo Bill, and presented by him to Captain J. B. Irvine, Twenty-second U.S. Infantry. Irvine then presented it to Second Lieutenant Albert C. Dalton, Company A, U.S. Infantry.

  General History

  In a life that was part legend and part fantasy, William F. Cody came to embody the spirit of the West. During the Civil War, Cody served first as a Union scout in campaigns against the Kiowa and Comanche; then in 1863 he enlisted with the Seventh Kansas Cavalry, which saw action in Missouri and Tennessee. In 1867, Cody took up the trade that gave him his nickname, hunting buffalo to feed the construction crews of the Kansas Pacific Railroad. According to Buffalo Bill, he killed 4,280 head of buffalo in seventeen months.

  He is perhaps best known for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, a theatrical extravaganza. His show dramatized some of the most picturesque elements of frontier life. It contained a buffalo hunt with real buffalos, an Indian attack with real Indians, and a grand finale that reenacted Custer’s Last Stand, with some Lakota who actually fought in the battle playing a part. The show was enormously successful and traveled the world for three decades.

  From Brigadier General Albert C. Dalton, US Army (Ret'd), written 26th July 1951:

  "This coat was made from the skin of a buffalo killed by the celebrated "Buffalo Bill" (Mr. William F. Cody) at the time he was engaged in supplying buffalo meat to the workers on the Union Pacific Railway, and also to the troops of the United States Army in the same area. The skin was presented to Captain Javan B. Irvine 22nd US Infantry who was a famous Indian fighter and a close friend of Buffalo Bill during the days when he was with the army as a guide and Indian Scout. Captain Irvine presented the coat to then 2nd Lieut Albert C. Dalton 22nd Inf. who served in Captain Irvine's Company "A" 22nd Infantry from May 1889 to Aug 1891---when he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieut and assigned to the regiment for duty as an officer. Captain Irvine retired the same year and on leaving the regiment gave the coat to Lieut Dalton.

  The coat was repaired and the quilted lining put in in place of the old lining in 1910 at the Schuykill Army Factory".

  wearer

  Cody, Buffalo Bill

  ID Number

  AF.54564

  catalog number

  54564

  accession number

  191694

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Whaler's Monkey Belt

  Description

  After a whale was captured and killed, its carcass was towed by the whaleboat to the side of the mother ship for processing. Cutting up the whale was done by crewmen standing on a wooden plank, or cutting stage, rigged out over the side of the ship so that they could stand directly over the body. Crewmen used this canvas “monkey belt” to secure themselves while they stripped the whale of its blubber. It was dangerous and slippery work. If a sailor slid into the water he risked drowning or being attacked by sharks looking for an easy meal.

  date made

  1883

  ID Number

  AG.057716

  catalog number

  057716

  accession number

  2009.0184

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Fishermen’s Woolen Nippers

  Description

  Fishermen working trawl lines in the 19th century often suffered cuts and rope burns on their hands. They typically wore mittens or gloves to protect themselves when hauling the long lines aboard and removing the fish. These sturdy but soft rings, called nippers, are knitted of woolen yarn and stuffed with more wool. They would have fit around a fisherman’s palms, protecting his hands while his fingers remained free for tasks requiring dexterity.

  These nippers were probably made in Gloucester, Mass., for use by local fishermen working on offshore schooners. The shallow, fertile banks stretching from Georges Bank east of Nantucket to the Grand Bank off Newfoundland, Canada, were prime fishing areas for Gloucestermen. Cod, haddock, and halibut were the principal species caught by fishermen working aboard schooners in these waters in the late 19th century.

  These nippers were among the fishermen’s clothing, tools, and apparatus featured by the United States in the 1883 International Fisheries Exhibition in London.

  Date made

  1880s

  used

  late 19th century

  on exhibit

  1883

  ID Number

  AG.102074

  catalog number

  102074

  accession number

  2009.0157

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Whalebone and Bone Umbrella

  Description

  The bony substance from the mouths of whales known as baleen is formed of keratin, like human hair and nails. It hangs in long, parallel sheets from the upper jaws of the blue, right, and minke whales, as well as other lesser-known species. Its hairy fringe filters food from seawater.

  Dried out, baleen’s strength and flexibility made it ideal for buggy whips, corset busks, and umbrella ribs before the advent of plastic. A whale’s bone could actually be worth more than its oil. This man’s large umbrella has a wooden shaft, heavy hinged baleen ribs made in short sections, and an ivory handle. Marked “G. Hobbs, Barre,” it belonged to the donor’s grandfather, who lived in Barre, Massachusetts, until around the end of the Civil War.

  Date made

  ca 1835-1865

  user

  Hobbs, George

  ID Number

  AG.169283.01

  accession number

  169283

  catalog number

  169283.01

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Patent Model for the Improvement in Ear-Rings

  Description (Brief)

  Small metal model or example of a design for a spring clasp mechanism to securing an earring to the ear lobe. The design specifications also allowed for and concave/convex discs to help the earring seat itself on the ear lobe or a pin on the disc incase the wearer had pierced ears (This model does not show the pin). The model also shows two eye hooks. One allowed for a dangle and the other allowed a chain and hair clip that would attach to the hair for security.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  date made

  ca 1876

  patent date

  1877-03-13

  inventor

  Weed, Louisa A.

  ID Number

  AG.188323

  catalog number

  188323

  accession number

  89797

  patent number

  188,323

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  1900 Chinese Woman’s Slippers for Bound Feet

  Description

  Mrs. Lee had bound feet her entire life. Her daughter, Grace Mok, noted in an oral history that her limited mobility and difficulty in walking required her to be accompanied wherever she went. Though these are not Ng Shee Lee’s shoes, they are similar to those she wore.

  Foot binding in China may have originated as early as 900 AD. Though outlawed by the conquering Manchus in the 17th century, the Han Chinese retained the social practice into the 20th century.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  date made

  1900

  maker

  unknown

  ID Number

  AG.A.2937

  accession number

  1926.93542

  catalog number

  A.2937

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Antislavery Medallion

  Description

  This medallion, first made in 1787, became a popular icon in the British movement for the abolition of the slave trade in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Staffordshire pottery manufacturer Josiah Wedgwood probably engaged sculptor Henry Webber to create the design of a kneeling slave, his hands in chains, a figure based on the cameo gemstones of antiquity. The modeler, William Hackwood, then prepared the medallion for production in Wedgwood’s black jasper against a white ground of the same ceramic paste. Above the figure the words “AM I NOT A MAN AND A BROTHER” appeal to the reason and sentiment of late-eighteenth-century men and women, disturbed by accounts of atrocities committed on the trans-Atlantic slave trade routes, and informed by abolitionist literature distributed in coffee-houses, taverns, public assembly rooms, reading societies, and private homes. The medallion expressed in material form the growing horror at the barbarous practices of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, and the premises upon which that trade thrived. Wedgwood produced the medallion for the Committee for the Abolition of the Slave trade, founded in 1787 by Thomas Clarkson, who in 1786 published his Essay on the Slavery and Commerce of the Human Species. Wedgwood was a member of the Committee – later known as the Society for the Abolition of the Slave trade - and it is likely that distribution of the medallions took place through the organization, and that Wedgwood bore the costs himself.

  In America, Quaker groups were active in their opposition to the slave trade in the late seventeenth century. When British opposition emerged in the 18th century from among the non-conformist congregations - Quakers, Methodists, Baptists, and Unitarians – communication between the North American and British groups was quickly established. In 1788, Josiah Wedgwood sent a packet of his medallions to Benjamin Franklin, then president of the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery, with the words “It gives me great pleasure to be embarked on this occasion in the same great and good cause with you, and I ardently hope for the final completion of our wishes.” Franklin wrote to Wedgwood: "I am persuaded [the medallion] may have an Effect equal to that of the best written Pamphlet in procuring favour to those oppressed people." Neither Franklin, nor Wedgwood, lived to see those wishes fulfilled.

  The medallion became the emblem for the British movement carried forward by Thomas Clarkson and William Wilberforce, leading to Parliament’s abolition of the slave trade in 1807. Men and women appropriated the cameo for personal ornament on snuff-box lids, shoe buckles, hair pins, pendants, and bracelets. By 1807, and before the abolition of slavery in all the British colonies in 1838, many versions of the kneeling slave found their way onto the surface of artifacts made in ceramic, metal, glass and fabric. The representation of the slave in the Wedgwood medallion carries several conflicting meanings. Here we see a man on his knees, pleading to his white masters, and perhaps to God at a time when many slaves took the Christian faith. The rhetorical question, “AM I NOT A MAN AND A BROTHER”, calls for pity, but at the same time demands a review of the black African’s place in the world as fellow human being, rather than a separate species, a status conferred upon them by slave owners and traders. The image of the kneeling slave is noble, but at the same time without threat; he kneels, and he is in chains. He may represent the literary figure of the “noble savage,” and at the same time draw forth in late 18th-century white men and women their sense of magnanimity. Materially, the medallion underscores the message with the figure rendered in black on a white, or in some versions a pale straw-colored background.

  Against fierce opposition, and for all their contradictions, hypocrisies, and ill-informed sentiments, the British campaigners for the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, and for the abolition of slavery, were astonishingly successful in achieving their aims. Strategies like widespread petitioning, the distribution of leaflets, pamphlets, and printed images, and the production of artifacts like this medallion, established the tactics for subsequent political and social pressure groups on local, national, and now on a global scale. The printed T-shirt, badges, and mugs distributed or sold today are the descendents of the Wedgwood medallion.

  Guyatt, M. “The Wedgwood Slave Medallion,” Journal of Design History, 13, no. 2 (2000): 93-105

  Margolin, S. “And Freedom to the Slave”: Antislavery ceramics, 1787-1865, Ceramics in America, edited by Robert Hunter (Hanover and London: Chipstone Foundation, 2002), pp. 80-109

  Myers, S. ‘Wedgwood’s Slave Medallion and its Anti-Slavery Legacy’

  Walvin, J. “British Abolitionism, 1787-1838,” Transatlantic Slavery: Against Human Dignity, edited by Anthony Tibbles (London: HMSO and National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, 1994), pp. 87-95

  Date made

  after 1787

  maker

  Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

  ID Number

  CE.68.150

  catalog number

  68.150

  1987.0005.51

  accession number

  1987.0005

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Spur

  Description

  This spur, worn over a riding boot, was made in Mexico in the mid-1800s. Rubbed against the animal's side, spurs are one of the instruments that riders use to direct horses. The spikes on this spur are set on a small wheel called a rowel, making this a rowel spur. Horses and good riding equipment, such as spurs, saddles, stirrups, and leather coverings, played a fundamental role in the European conquest, exploration, and settlement of wide areas of North America. Much of the technique and craftsmanship of riding culture that was found in the American West among both Native Americans and later U.S. settlers was introduced by the Spanish in Mexico within the first century of colonization (1500s). During this period, huge herds of cattle and sheep (both newly introduced species, like horses) flooded the dry grasslands of northern Mexico and were tended by men who would later be called vaqueros—cowboys. The ranching culture that they developed, as well as the ecological destruction that grazing produced, stretched from Texas to California. This economy of raising livestock on the open range was embraced by settlers coming overland from the American East along routes like the Santa Fe, Old Spanish, and Gila trails. To this day, ranching remains a vital economic and cultural force in both the American West and northern Mexico.

  Description (Spanish)

  Esta espuela, que se llevaba en la parte trasera de las botas de montar, fue fabricada en México a mediados del siglo XIX. Los jinetes dirigían al caballo rozando las espuelas contra el costado del animal. Las espigas de esta espuela sobresalen de una pequeña rueda llamada rodaja, la cual le da al nombre de espuela de rodaja. Los caballos y el buen equipo de montar, como las espuelas, la montura, los estribos y los revestimientos de cuero, desempeñaron un papel fundamental dentro de la conquista, exploración y asentamiento europeo en vastas extensiones de Norteamérica. Muchas de las técnicas y destrezas artesanales relacionadas con la cultura ecuestre que se observan en el oeste americano, tanto entre los americanos nativos como más tarde entre los colonos de Estados Unidos, fueron introducidas por los españoles a México durante el primer siglo de la colonización (S. XVI). A lo largo de este período, erraban por las pasturas secas del norte de México vastas manadas de vacunos y ovinos (especies recientemente introducidas, al igual que el caballo), al cuidado de hombres que luego se denominarían vaqueros. La cultura de hacienda que éstos desarrollaron, paralelamente a la destrucción ecológica que produjo el pastoreo, se extendió desde Texas hasta California. Esta economía sustentada en la ganadería a campo abierto fue adoptada por los colonizadores que llegaban por tierra desde el este por el Camino de Santa Fe, el Camino Español de Los Ángeles y el Camino del Diablo. Hasta el día de hoy, la ganadería continúa siendo de vital importancia económica y cultural tanto en el oeste americano como en norte de México.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  Date made

  1840 - 1860

  ID Number

  CL.004841

  catalog number

  4841

  accession number

  2007.0144

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Abraham Lincoln's Office Suit

  Description

  Abraham Lincoln wore this black broadcloth coat, vest, and trousers, as his office suit during his presidency. The shirt and tie are reproductions.

  Lincoln’s office suit was used in a preliminary study for a posthumous portrait by Boston artist William Morris Hunt. In May 1865 Mary Lincoln sent Thomas Pendel, the White House doorkeeper, to deliver the suit. Pendel, being about the same size as Lincoln, posed in the clothing for the artist. Hunt kept the suit, and in 1894 his widow donated the clothing to the Smithsonian.

  Gift of Mrs. William Hunt, 1894

  Location

  Currently not on view

  ID Number

  COLL.ALSUIT.005004

  accession number

  27959

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Mary Lincoln's Dress

  Description

  Mary Lincoln’s purple velvet skirt with daytime bodice is believed to have been made by African American dressmaker Elizabeth Keckly. The first lady wore the gown during the Washington winter social season in 1861–62. Both pieces are piped with white satin, and the bodice is trimmed with mother-of pearl buttons. An evening bodice was included with the ensemble. The lace collar is of the period, but not original to the dress.

  After Abraham Lincoln’s death, Mary went into mourning and remained in widow’s clothes until her own death in 1882. She gave some of her White House finery to family members. Her cousin, Elizabeth Todd Grimsley, received this purple velvet ensemble. In 1916 Grimsley’s son, John, sold the ensemble to Mrs. Julian James for the Smithsonian’s First Ladies Collection.

  John Grimsley attributed this dress to a “seamstress of exceptional ability” who “made nearly all of Mrs. Lincoln’s gowns.” Although he mistook her name as “Ann,” he most likely was referring to Elizabeth Keckly.

  The Civil War made it particularly important that the ceremonial functions of the administration appear dignified and competent. This public image helped calm domestic critics and reassure foreign governments, especially England and France, which were being courted by the Confederacy. The Lincolns faced the challenge of maintaining proper decorum without appearing self-indulgent when so many were sacrificing so much. Their background made this task even more difficult, as they had to overcome eastern stereotypes of “uncultured” westerners.

  Mary Lincoln took her role as first lady very seriously. Some newspapers portrayed her as “the republican queen,” elegant and admirable at public occasions. Others criticized her for conspicuous consumption in time of war and sacrifice. Although she came from a genteel Kentucky family, she was the wife of “the rail splitter,” and many people expected her to embarrass the nation with uncouth western manners.

  Bequest of Mrs. Julian James, 1923

  wearer

  Lincoln, Mary Todd

  referenced

  Keckley, Elizabeth

  ID Number

  COLL.MTLDRS.005003

  accession number

  70138

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Scarecrow Costume

  Description

  Ray Bolger wore this patchwork outfit as the Scarecrow, one of the trio of friends who accompany Dorothy to the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz.

  date made

  1939

  user

  Bolger, Ray

  designer

  Adrian

  ID Number

  COLL.SCRCRW.002000

  accession number

  1987.0608

  catalog number

  1987.0608.01

  1987.0608.02

  1987.0608.03

  1987.0608.04

  1987.0608.05

  1987.0608.06

  1987.0608.07

  1987.0608.08

  1987.0608.09

  1987.0608.10

  1987.0608.11

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Leather Shoes/Slippers

  Description

  These shoes of gray kid leather date from about 1805 to 1815. Likely made by an artisan working on a small scale, they have a beige silk binding around the opening and a pinked edge along the vamp. They have brown leather soles with spring heels and would originally have had gray silk ribbon ties. The interior has beige linen lining and the maker’s paper label affixed inside.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  date made

  1805-1815

  maker

  Field, John

  ID Number

  CS.006544

  catalog number

  006544

  accession number

  28810

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Muslin Handkerchief

  Description

  The market revolution of the 1700s expanded people’s access to goods from around the globe. American merchants and business owners in the early republic acquired and sold a variety of smaller goods such as tea from China and ceramics from England. Handkerchiefs from India—such as this one made of pink and blue muslin—often appeared in merchants’ ledger accounts. For instance, Ramsay recorded an imported “Sastracundy” handkerchief, the name indicating its Southern Indian origin. As a fashionable and practical accessory, men and women wore the piece of cloth about the neck, tucked into a pocket, or carried in the hand. This Indian handkerchief is made with a pink and blue pattern on white muslin. It has a floral border 2” wide. Floral sprigs overall and a floral medallion details the center.

  date made

  1790-1820

  ID Number

  CS.006724

  catalog number

  006724

  accession number

  28810

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

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