Waistcoat

Object Name:

Waistcoat

Object ID:

1903.009.01

Place of Origin:

Mount Vernon, VA

Date:

1780-1800

Description:

Waistcoat. Said to have been worn by George Washington at Mount Vernon. Double-breasted. Front, collar, and part of the front lining of homespun and handwoven plain weave of Z-twist wool single yarns. Back panels and part of front panels lined in a homespun plain weave consisting of S-twist linen warp and possibly cotton (?) weft single yarns at 46 warps x 58 wefts/inch. Back panel and bottom edges of the front panel linings of a red wool twill weave. Five of twenty brass buttons present in what would have been two rows of ten each. One button remains on left facing row, four on the right facing row. Two rows of hand-cut buttonholes possibly stitched with red linen thread, nine on the left-facing edge of the waistcoat and ten on the right-facing edge. Tapered collar 3" in height in the front, tapering to 2.25" at the center back, with an 18.75" circumference. There is a wide rever under the right-facing collar. Two 7.25" wide straight pockets, one on each side. A vertical row of three 0.25" x 0.5" fragments of cream-colored linen tape hand stitched with matching linen thread are located 1" up from the right-facing edge and 3.5" away from the center back seam, 5.25" up from the first fragment, 3" away from center back, 6.25" up from the second fragment, 3.5" away from the center back. On the opposite side of the center back, two areas of loss with spacing similar to the fragments suggests match ties used to alter the garment size. Center back measurement from top of collar, 26.5". Center front 25". Overall width taken from the bottom edge is 51". Three intentionally cut areas of loss inside the garment, including 4.5" x 10" fragment of red wool twill along the lower left facing edge, 2.75" x 3" along the lower right facing edge, 2.25" x 3.25" from the center front left edge. Triangular patch along the center back of the neck lining, 2" x 2.5", almost completely worn away. Lining hand stitched with whipstitches at 9 stitches/inch. Armsceye opening 23.5".

Material:

Textile
Wool
Linen
Cotton
Brass

Dimensions:

W-22 L-27 inches

Provenance:

Probably originally owned and worn by George Washington (1732-1799). The waistcoat, and a dress worn by Martha Washington, were acquired by Dr. Claudius B. Webster (1815-1902) of Concord, NH, while serving as Assistant Surgeon at the Freedman's Bureau at Arlington, VA, fall 1863 through spring 1864. The dress and waistcoat were donated by Dr. Webster's sister-in-law, Susan M. Webster (1835-1919) of Concord.

Credit Line:

Gift of Susan M. Webster

People:

Washington, George (1732-1799), Custis, George Washington Parke (1781-1857), Lee, Robert E. (1807-1870), Lee, Mary Anna Custis (1808-1873), Webster, Claudius B. (1815-1902), Webster, Susan M. (1835-1919)

Subjects:

Civil War, Slaves, Wool, Brass, Buttons, Waistcoats, Clothing & dress