Boy's or Man's Coat
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Captain Samuel Whitman
(American, 1753 - 1810)
Clothing MakerMade by
Unknown
Dateabout 1810
MediumHand-stitched cotton and linen, with cotton-covered wooden (probably) buttons
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (length x width across shoulders x chest circumference): 30 x 13 x 31in. (76.2 x 33 x 78.7cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineGift of John T. Whitman
Object number1963.8.7
DescriptionBoy's or small man's double-breasted tail coat of plaid cotton. The plaid is woven with a brown ground and pairs of fine black stripes in the warp and sets of three white stripes in the weft (a selvage edge can be seen in the proper left tail). The front has six pairs of self-covered, domed buttons; the lower four are functional while the upper two are decorative. There are buttonholes along each edge, so that the coat can button to the right or to the left. The turn-down collar is heavily padded. The notched lapels sit high on the chest, with the rows of buttons curving outwards on either side. The torso is well padded at the shoulders, with the padding stitches visible on the outside of the garment. This padding allows the collar to sit up on the wearer's neck. The shoulder seams are deeply angled from the back of the collar to the armscye. The coat is constructed with a center back seam and curved side back seams, with no underarm seams. There is no waistline seam. There is an eight-inch-wide wide pocket angled across each upper tail; each pocket has an upturned flap at the opening with button and buttonhole in the center. There is a button sewn to each side back seam at the waist; one stitched and one folded pleat fall from each of these buttons, with another button sewn to the bottom of the stitched pleat. The front cutaway curves down from the center front edges. The slightly shaped and very long sleeves are constructed from one piece, with an underarm seam, which measures 23 inches. They end in plain cuffs, 3 5/8 inches wide. The coat is lined with plain linen only in the center back and in the sleeves. Facings are made with self-fabric. This coat has a history of belonging to a grown man, in which case he was very small. The chest measurement is 31 inches; the length of the front measures 9 1/2 inches from the notch of the lapel to the bottom edge.
Status
Not on view
