It's the Weekend: Fly-by Post

Dogs appearing in portraiture, and paintings in general, are known as being a symbol of loyalty and fidelity. Below, Mary and Elizabeth Royall have their pup featured in this oil painting by John Singleton Copley. My own dog (who bears a striking resemblance to many dogs in 18thc. paintings) is currently at the vet hospital for the second time in as many weeks, and looking at dogs in paintings gives me a small piece of comfort. She is definitely a loyal and faithful companion, and if I could bring her to reenactments she would fit in quite well!

Mary and Elizabeth Royall, 1758. Oil on canvas by
John Singleton Copley. Accession #25.49. Currently
on view in the Art of Americas Wing.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post.

Since I'm examining an extant cloak this afternoon, and with the impending winter-weather-in-fall coming, I thought it would be appropriate to feature another beautiful extant cloak that also has provenance in Massachusetts.

Woman's hooded cloak. Last quarter, 18thc. Red wool
broadcloth trimmed in black silk. MFA Boston, 99.664.16.

From the MFA Boston's website:

"Red wool broadclothhooded cloak trimmed in black silk, hood gathered at back, cloak gathered at shoulders and pieced at bottom.

Provenance: Worn by Abigail Robbins (1759-1850); inherited by Ellen A. Stone; gift to MFA, 1899."

Hood is gathered at the back, cloak is gathered at the shoulders
and pieced together at the bottom.

The wool was manufactured in England, and the cloak was made in Massachusetts. It was worn in Lexington. Click on either photo to be taken to its catalog page on the MFA's website.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post.

18thc. pockets, 1796. Linen. American.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1979.346.200.

Looks very similar to my pocket pattern! Click the photo to go to the Met's pocket page.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post.

18thc. pockets. Cotton, linen; printed cotton. American.
Museum of Fine Arts Boston, 48.1218a

From the MFA Boston's site:

Pair of pockets, pockets attached with coarse cotton tape tie, edges of slits bound with white linen tape, face of pockets of blue on white floral printed cotton, backs of pockets of hevy white linen; a number of small yellow stains. Dimensions: 43 x 37.5 cm (16 15/16 x 14 3/4 in.).

Click on the photo to go to the MFA Boston's pocket page.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post.

I don't usually mention men's things in the blog, so how about a lovely man's at-home cap?

Man's At-Home Cap. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Silk plain weave with supplementary warp-float patterning, and silk and metallic-thread embroidery. M.61.6.

A man would wear this with a wrapping gown or banyan while at home instead of a wig.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post

Another beautiful extant from Meg Andrews, this time a straw or chip hat. I'm wearing my simple, completed straw hat today to a big fancy horse show, so it's very appropriate! This is a great example, though a bit later at c.1780, and it is also Dutch.

c.1780 Bergere straw hat.

Check out the underside of the hat on the website, click the picture to be taken there.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post.

Since I'm on a petticoat making mission, here's an interesting petticoat for sale through Meg Andrews. I've never seen fabric like this, it is so amazing!

1760s Norwich fabric petticoat. Remade into
a 19th century skirt.

Click on the image to be taken to the website.

Many thanks to Sew18thCentury for posting the Meg Andrews website on Facebook! I wish my checking account had unlimited funds ...

A quick fly-by: Something to look forward to!

It's shaped! (Pardon the messy desk)

Just a quick little post about something I finally got around to last night: shaping my hat! After I post my embroidery research, I'll show the process I did to shape it. Super easy to do, and it was dry by this morning. All it needs now is some simple trim around the crown and maybe some ties--I'll be using hatpins with it (see that piece of white next to my now-defunct Borders card? It's holding 3 hatpins!), so I may not add ties. It also depends on if I bought enough silk ribbon!

It's the weekend: Fly-by post

Recently, I bought a reproduction fan from The Village Green Clothier. It's purple, and gorgeous, with two different colorways of flowers painted on either side. It's technically a double-sided fan! So, have a peek at a stunning 18th century ivory fan from the MFA Boston.

Ivory fan. French, 18th century. MFA Boston, accession no. 25.551.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post

Since I'm on an accessories kick, let's take a look at something most New England women in the 18th century would have worn: a quilted petticoat!

Pink silk satin quilted petticoat; glazed wool lining,
cotton waistband, linen ties. English, about 1780.
MFA Boston, accession no. 28.528b.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post

Something that's been in my bookmarks for a long, long, long time (and I still swoon every time I look at it).

Riding coat, silk and goat hair. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accession No.: 1976.147.1

It's the weekend: Fly-by post

How about a lovely gown from Colonial Williamsburg to drool over?

Gown, pale blue-green silk damask. Accession No. 1960-714,1