From: owner-h-costume-digest (Historic Costume Digest) To: h-costume-digest@lunch.engr.sgi.com Subject: Historic Costume Digest V3 #157 Reply-To: h-costume Errors-To: owner-h-costume-digest@lunch.engr.sgi.com Precedence: bulk Historic Costume Digest Wednesday, August 9 1995 Volume 3, Number 157 Important Addresses: Submissions to the list: h-costume@lunch.engr.sgi.com (or reply to this message). Adds/removes/archives: majordomo@lunch.engr.sgi.com Real, live person: h-costume-request@andrew.cmu.edu Topics: 1750's clothing in PA Re: Civil War Lady National Conference 1995 Re: Wet Nurse Re: Suspenders Re: Wet Nurse Re: Suspenders Suspenders Re: SCA question Fwd: History Computerization Project Home Page Antique & Vintage Catalogue Avaialable Thorsbjerg tunic Restored Copyright (fwd) Re: Alcega's Tailors Pattern Book Pattern making Re: Re[2]: On hose, tights and knitted A Book! Re: Pattern making Feather Mites ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 9 Aug 1995 13:24:12 -0500 (CDT) From: BPH3213@ACS.TAMU.EDU Subject: 1750's clothing in PA Hi, While doing some research I came across this travel acount, and thought I'd pass it along, if for no other reason than to show the resources out there in places we don't always look... Bryan H Source: MITTELBERGER, GOTTLIEB 1960 _Journey to Pennsylvania in the Year 1750 and Return to Germany in the Year 1754_. translated by Oscar Handlin and John Clive. Belknap Press, Harvard University Press, Cambridge. "Throughout Pennsylvania both men and women dress according to the English fashion. Women do not wear hoop-skirts, but everything they do wear is very fine, nice, and costly. Skirts and jackets are cut and sewn in one piece. Skirts can usually be parted in front. Under them women usually wear handsomely sewn petticoats trimmed with ribbon. But the outer long skirts have to reach down to the shoes, and are made of cotton, chintz, or other rich and beautiful material. All the women wear fine white aprons everyday, on their shoes generally large silver buckles, round their throats fine strings of beads, in their ears costly rings with fine stones, and on theior heads fine white bonnets embriodered with flowers and trimmed with lace and streamers. Their gloves are made of velvet, silk and similar kinds of material, also generally trimmed with silver or gold lace, or beautifully embriodered. Their neckerchiefs are made either of velvet or pure silk, and are likewise richly embroidered. When the women walk or ride out, they wear blue or scarlet cloaks reaching down to the waist. On their heads they wear black or beautifully colored bonnets instead of straw hats. These bonnets are specially made and take place of parasols, though they are prettier. If our women could see such bonnets they would at once want to have them for themselves. " 88-89 "The apparel of the men, especially the English, is generally very elegant and this applies to farmers as well as the other ranks. It is all made of excellent English cloth or similar material; and the shirts are also fine. Peasants as well as gentlemen wear wigs. In Philadelphia very large and very fine beaver hats are worn; and no wonder, since Pennsylvania is the home of the beaver. But during the summer, because the heat is so great, one and all wear their hats with the rim turned down, especially in the country. For the same reason thin light coats are worn; or just a jacket neatly made of soft linen or dimity. Everyone wears long trousers that reach down to the shoes; such trousers are very wide and made of fine stiffened linen. All the men have their hair cut quite short during summers, and wear only a cap of fine white linen and over it a hat with the rim not turned up. On entering a house the doff the hat, but not the cap. Andf if anyone travels even just an hour's journey over lans, he wears his long coat and a pair of boots that are half turned dowen and reach only to the middle of the calf. One has to go dressed this way in this country, because the weather is apt to change so rapidly. " 89-90 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Aug 1995 10:30:12 -0400 From: ARISAID@aol.com Subject: Re: Civil War Lady National Conference 1995 Dear Friends: Per Vicki Bett's request I am posting a short summary of the National Conference sponsered by The Civil War Lady Magazine which was held in Columbus, Ohio in July. The Conference went real well this year and the speakers were more varied with a wider range of topics offered. There were about 130 in attendance. Friday evening begun with two lectures on What was the Middle Class of the Civil War Era. One angle was the 'rural' middle class on the frontier, I spoke on the Urban middle class of the North and the middle class of the South...too very different types of class! Much discussion was generated and the topic was deemed 'complex' but neccessary to portray a middle class impression properly. We all have a tendency to equate today's middle class to the 1860's era which is totally and dangerously inaccurate! On Saturday, topics covered included How to do a Frontier Rural impression, Hearth/campfire cooking and how to know what is correct and what is not of the period. Bob Hill presented this lecture which included a review of cooking utensils, fireside techniques and saftey tips. There was a lecture given (by yours truely) on deportment and etiquette of the middle class and also a review of women's education at female academies or boarding schools and a comparison with governess or at home tutors. Beth Miller presented middle class clothing and noted that she has found women's clothing to be universal, very little if abny difference between North and South fashion or fabrics. She noted two minor exceptions which she is even hesitant to classify as differences. There were at least 30 original garments on display. Sandra Altman, of Past Patterns, presented a wonderful lecture on Skirt supoporting corsets. c. 1862-65. She also introduced new patterns to be available September 1995: Skirt supporting corsets, late 1850's hoop, a Wrapper, "Stick-out" petticoat (corded), and another I can't forget. You can receive a brochure and pre-order by contacting Past Patterns. Saturday evening's Soriee was extremely elegant and wonderfully enjoyable. A stringed ensemble played during the sit down dinner consisting of steak, chicken breast, etc. etc. Humorous poetry selections were read, a solo on a fife (fit and documented for the parlour) was played by Joy Melcher, and ballroom dance demonstrations were performed to the delight of all! Numerous parlour games were instructed and the laughtere during the game was testimony to the fun they sparked! Sunday's program consisted of Beth Miller speaking on childrens and teens clothing with numerous originals on display. She also gave fabric samples to all and discussed printed patterns of fabric of the era, weight of silk, etc. Cinthia of the Cincinnati Art Museum presented a very well research and wonderful lecture on the proper shape, fit, decoration, materials and trims for Civil War era bonnets. Wonderful! I spoke on home entertaining and how to plan and incorporate these at living history event, Sandra spoke on "Stick out" petticoats and how to correctly construct one and when they could or should be used. Sandr also sold 10 limited edition late 1850's hoops that Past Patterns reproduced. She only made ten and they will not be offered again. Those who bought them have theirs registered by Sandra. Bob presented a second hearth cooking presentation. All round, the comments said it was better than the conference the previous year and those that also attended Mrs. Martin's 'seminar' expressed how better documented and credentialed the speakers here were and that you could trust their information compared to some of her speakers. The 1996 National Conference will be held in GETTYSBURG and it is hoped that the gentlemen will accompany their ladies and tour the site while they are at conference because Saturday evening, I will be hostessing a CIVIL WAR BALL with the help of some of THe Royal Lancers'. I hope many of you will make plans to attend. A date has not yet been set...probably either in late April or July (rates are higher then in Gettysburg and Joy would like to avoid those.) Sorry so short but the ton of information learned is too great to take up space here. If you have any particular questions about any of the topics, let me knopw and I'll answer them the best I can. Hope this sparks some interest in the Civil War Lady Magazine, next years conference, and ball attending! Karen Chartrand Writer and Speaker for the Civil War Lady Magazine ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 1995 22:42:56 -0700 (PDT) From: Kimberly Smay Subject: Re: Wet Nurse During the 17th century in England it was very unusual for upper class women to nurse their own children making accessable unnecessary. As fashion is usually considered to be the clothing of the upper classes, nursing peobably had little effect on "fashion". ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 1995 19:27:21 -0700 (PDT) From: Heather Rose Jones Subject: Re: Suspenders On Tue, 8 Aug 1995 BJHILL@STTHOMAS.EDU wrote: > Could anyone tell me when suspenders or braces appear to be first worn > for the purpose of holding up pants or trousers. Also when do belts first appearfor this same purpose? > I don't know the answer to the suspenders part ... but the garment known as the "Thorsbjerg trousers" (dated approximately 2-5th century) includes belt loops on the waistband. One suspects that belts were being used to hold up pants even before actual belt loops were included in the design, so the date gets pushed rather far back. Heather Rose Jones ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 95 18:25 PDT From: mholland@on-ramp.ior.com Subject: Re: Wet Nurse Dear Robin et al. For all of you who have asked about the wet nursing resource book: Wet Nursing, A History From Antiquity to the Present by Valerie Fiches, 1988 Basil Blackwell, Inc. 432 Park Ave. S., Suite #1503 N.Y., NY 10016 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 1995 14:56:28 -0700 (PDT) From: "Alice Morgan" Subject: Re: Suspenders BJHILL@STTHOMAS.EDU said something close to this: > > Could anyone tell me when suspenders or braces appear to be first worn > for the purpose of holding up pants or trousers. Also when do belts first > appear for this same purpose? Not sure about when braces first started. They seemed to be in full swing early 1800's. As for belts, early on, belts were only to hang items from, I believe there was some british royalty in the 1920s or so that found braces uncomfortable, switched to a belt and fashion changed as well. I tend to view this as the last (or most recent) time that royalty influenced western fashion in a fundamental way. Now its rock stairs, MTV, Movie Stars, etc that have a much stronger influence. (And unfortunately they mostly seem to have such poor taste in dressing well, sigh). Am I the only one that feels "ready-to-wear" clothes incredibly boring? Sorry I do not have more specific details. Alice > > Thanks, > brian hill bjhill@stthomas.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Aug 1995 15:29:07 -0600 (CST) From: BJHILL@STTHOMAS.EDU Subject: Suspenders Could anyone tell me when suspenders or braces appear to be first worn for the purpose of holding up pants or trousers. Also when do belts first appearfor this same purpose? Thanks, brian hill bjhill@stthomas.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 1995 11:50:13 -0400 (EDT) From: Gretchen Miller Subject: Re: SCA question Folks, The charter asks that you please NOT discuss things like this here. That's what rec.org.sca is for. I realize that most people cced on this have only posted once, so please don't feel offended--it's just that "what is the SCA" is one of the threads that this list was hoping to avoid, and has managed to avoid successfully for almost 2 years. Thanks! toodles, gretchen (h-costume list maintainer) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 1995 12:01:00 -0400 (EDT) From: Gretchen Miller Subject: Fwd: History Computerization Project Home Page I know this is an ad of sorts, but it appears to be something of interest to the list members, so here it is. toodles, gretchen - ---------- Forwarded message begins here ---------- To: h-costume-request@andrew.cmu.edu Subject: History Computerization Project Home Page Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit (Please post or add a link to the following, if you consider it to be appropriate for your list.) History Computerization Project on the Internet If you visit the History Computerization Project (at "http://www.history.la.ca.us/history") you will find: 1) Annotated directories of hundreds of historical resources; 2) Historical photos on display; and 3) An online order form to request a free, printed, History Database tutorial on the use of computer database management for historical research, writing, and cataloging. The History Computerization Project is building a history information network for the exchange of information between historians, librarians, archivists, museum curators, preservation groups, and historical societies. The project employs the History Database program, running on IBM PC compatible computers. The program is used for both cataloging and research with all types of historical materials, including photographs, museum objects, archives, books, journals, and oral history interviews. The course textbook, Database Design: Applications of Library Cataloging Techniques, by David L. Clark, is published by the TAB division of McGraw-Hill. For information contact: History Computerization Project Home Page: http://www.history.la.ca.us/history E-Mail: history@history.la.ca.us Address: 24851 Piuma Road, Malibu, CA 90265-3036 USA ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 1995 09:42:02 -0500 From: mel@CDCanada.com (Mel Orecklin) Subject: Antique & Vintage Catalogue Avaialable A catalogue of antique and vintage men's, ladies' and children's clothing and accessories is available for $3.00 from the Gallery of Costume. Contact Judy Herscovitch The Gallery of Costume 5 Hillhouse Road Winnipeg, MB R2V 2W1 Canada The clothing in the catalogue is authentic and therefore one of a kind. Every item has been researched and there is a price, condition and provinence where available. Information on proper care of antique fabriques is included in the catalogue. Judy is a costume designer and has been collecting and selling antique clothing for over 10 years. Unfortunately the catalogue is not available on the internet and you must obtain a paper copy by mail. Question on the Gallery of Costume or the catalogue may be directed to me and I will pass them on to Judy. Finally, I hope that this "commercial" advertising for the Gallery of Costume Catalogue does not contrivene the Acceptable Use Policy of the h-costume listserve. Mel Orecklin, P.Eng., MBA (204) 985-9007; fax: 956-2331 Plexxus Interactive e-mail: mel@CDCanada.com 276 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3C 0B6 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Aug 95 09:03 CDT From: ROBERT@UIAMVS.WEEG.UIOWA.EDU Subject: Thorsbjerg tunic In response to: > My quest is for the Thorsbjerg tunics, thou I've only seen photostos > of them. Would you know of any monographs that offer measurements of > fabric and the skeletons? The following information comes from: Ancient Danish textiles from bogs and burials : a comparative study of costume and Iron Age textiles / by Margrethe Hald. Denmark : National Museum of Denmark, c1980. (Publications of the National Museum. Archaeological-Historical Series, vol. 21) ISBN 87-480-0312-3 The Thorsbjerg tunic was found somewhere from 1851-61 and is dated to the 2nd to early 5th century C.E. The tunic is now in the Schleswig- Holsteinisches Landesmuseum, Gottorp Castle. It was not examined by the author (p.70) The shirt "is well preserved and must have been an exceptionally fine and carefully made garment. The shirt consists of four pieces of cloth, and has two ornamental bands at the lower edges of the sleeves. The front is 86 cm long and the back piece 90 cm. It is 56 cm wide at the tablet woven band trimming the lower edge of the back piece. The neck opening is about 3-3 1/2 cm deeper in front than behind, and about 26 cm long across the shoulders, although the latter is not absolutely clear due to damage. The sleeves are taken across the loom, thus ensuring a maximum utilisation of the product; the loom width constitutes the length of the sleeves, demonstrated by selvedges at the armhole and at the wrist. The span of the costume, then, has been c. 162 cm. The sleeves are slightly shaped by folding the material so that a slight curve is formed at the top of the sleeve, the seam of which meets the back piece c. 7 cm below the shoulder seam. The sleeves are not either shaped below by cutting, instead their width is maintained to a little way below the elbow, after which the material is taken in and seamed, at the wrists the measurement has decreased to 18 cm. It is generally assumed that the Thorsbjerg shirt was worn outside the trousers. This may be true, but it is doubtful whether is resembled the Reepsholt tunic and the loose garments worn by German warriors in Roman reliefs. Indeed, two different shirts were probably worn by men, the loose garment closely related to the dalmatica, and the closer fitting type whose origins are difficult to define, although on the Celtic Gundestrup bowl (National Museum, Copenhagen), for example, dating from shortly before the birth of Christ, we see male figures clad in what appear to be short, close-fitting shirts." p.339 The photgraph is (I believe) the same one that appears in Owen-Crocker's book on Anglo-Saxon costume. The footnote refers to Conrad Engelhardt: Thorsbjerg Mosefund, 1863, P. 18, Pl. 1. -- Poul NĒrlund: Klaededragt i Oldtid og Middelalder. Nordisk Kultur XV. Stockholm 1941, Fig. 23. This is all the information that I am aware of on the Thorsbjerg tunic. If you find any more, I would be interested to know about it. ****************************** Wendy Robertson Serials Cataloging University of Iowa Libraries (319) 335-5894 ****************************** ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Aug 1995 13:29:35 -0700 (PDT) From: Carol Cannon Subject: Restored Copyright (fwd) This may affect some of us, as well as libraries, museums, etc.--Carol From: Alice Cotten Subject: Restored Copyright (fwd) Alice Cotten - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We thought you would be interested in knowing that a "Business Bulletin" column in the Wall Street Journal (July 27, 1995, p. A1) contained a short blurb noting that a provision of the General Agreement on Tarrifs and Trade (GATT) will restore copyrights, in the United States, to many foreign books, paintings, films and related material on January 1, 1996. Much of this material is already in the public domain (free to use) in the U.S., although still protected by copyright in the country of origin. Part of this problem stems from the differences in how long copyright can be held on books, films, artworks, etc., among the nations of the world. When the U.S. approved the GATT, there were concerns raised as to whether the terms of the treaty would have precedence over certain laws/regulations of a particular nation. This "restored copyright" will, no doubt, become a contentious issue when the material currently in the public domain is deemed, again, copyrighted and therefore no longer free for use. We will be checking with contacts in the U.S. Copyright Office to get more information. A source from that office was quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying that this could have a "big impact on multimedia rights." In addition, a spokesperson from the Smithsonian's Hirschhorn Museum saw this development as causing some problems for museums with major holdings of 20th century European art. Sandy Morton-Schwalb Director, Government Relations 202-234-4700 ext. 629 sandy@sla.org Mark Serepca Director, Public Relations 202-234-4700 ext. 634 mark@sla.org Special Libraries Association 1700 18th St., NW Washington, DC 20009 202-265-9317 (fax) - --Interpart.Boundary.19950807110255886-- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1995 07:06:50 -0400 From: Schuess@aol.com Subject: Re: Alcega's Tailors Pattern Book In a message dated 95-08-06 13:33:12 EDT, TheaG@aol.com writes: >I have recently been able to ILL Juan de Alcega's Tailors Pattern Book. I don't suppose this is in print anywhere?? If so, could someone list the publisher and other vital info? Thanks so much Melanie schuess@aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 6 Aug 95 16:02:10 PDT From: Allan Terry Subject: Pattern making William, How did they do pattern making in the old days? It depends greatly on what you mean by the old days. I once wrote a long article on the history of pattern making that was published in _Sew News_. But I don't feel like repeating it all now. If I know what era you're interested in, maybe I can say something more specific. Fran Grimble ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 06 Aug 1995 14:13:14 GMT From: paul@bozzie.demon.co.uk (Paul C. Dickie) Subject: Re: Re[2]: On hose, tights and knitted In message Sharron Fina writes: > > > On Tue, 1 Aug 1995, Paul C. Dickie wrote: > > > It's a wonder they can get the knitters to use wire wool... > > > > Paul C. Dickie > > > Aw, come on .... Everybody's heard of steel wool :^} Indeed, but would it not wear their fingers to the bone? Paul C. Dickie ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 03 Aug 95 21:51:04 PDT From: ke6isf@outlander (Dennis Allen Carr) Subject: A Book! For Susan Fatemi: A book of authentic costume implements, without the models? WHERE!?!!? I'd like the ISBN of this, pls. Tnx! =) KE6ISF uublip!outlander!ke6isf@ccss.com Just say NO.J.! The only true Ben Franklin look-alike! Driving people insane since 1974.... ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1995 04:09:25 -0400 (EDT) From: Dave Wells Subject: Re: Pattern making I have a book on making Japanese clothes that uses a mathematical system to convert the measurements into a pattern. Since many of the pieces are rectangular and only a few have curves or particular placement of reinforcement or lining, it is fairly easy to put the measurements onto paper for the pattern. This makes a custom patterns very easy. Dave Wells ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1995 13:14:12 -0700 From: Alison Kondo Subject: Feather Mites As a bird owner, whose pets provide some nice things for feather cocades when they moult, I'd say your bare spots might also be caused by carpet beetles (who chew little round bare spots) or sivlerfish, both of which like protein fibres. I've had good luck freezing feathers to kill anything on them. (PS. Mites are generally found on live birds, not moulted feathers, but I've found several "beastie" species like to munch the feathers after the bird has finished with them). (Oops, that's "silverfish", not sivlerfish). Alison ------------------------------ End of Historic Costume Digest V3 #157 ************************************** A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to subscribe to that instead, send the command lines: unsubscribe h-costume-digest subscribe h-costume end in the body of a message to majordomo@lunch.engr.sgi.com. Thanks and enjoy the list!