Purses in the Early Modern

 

Fig.1 The Calthorpe Purse 1540. V&A

Look at probate inventories from the 16^th century and the first half of the 17^th century and one of the most common entries you will see is his/her apparel and money in his/her purse, for example from 1610 a poor almsman has “his purse, his apperrell 2s,” while a wealthy mariner in 1667 has “all the deceaseds wearing apparell & monie in purse £360.”  By the second half of the 17^th century the purse hasn’t disappeared, but a new statement is money in his/her pocket. In 1674 a silkweaver has “clothes and money in his pockett £2 6s 8d” and in 1703 a widow has for “her weiring clothes and for her money in her pocket £5”

Sadly, probate inventories tell us very little about what purses looked like or were made from. It would appear that many were worn with, or attached to a girdle, in 1611 Jane Byas, has “her purse, girdle, kaes knife and her apparel.” 

Fig 2 Callot Woman spinning

This pairing of a purse with knives, both of which could be suspended from the waist appears in other inventories and wills, and in the drawing (figure 2) by Jacques Callot (c. 1592 – 1635) of a woman spinning, hanging from her waist are her purse, knives and keys. In 1637 Anne Abry, a widow leaves in her will “To my god daughter Mary Lance my purse, pin case and a pair of knives.” If you had money you might have several purses, in 1634 Elizabeth Hart, widow of a gentleman, leaves, “to my grandchild Elizabeth Growse all my unbequeathed rings and jewels immediately after my decease, and my best purse will all things in it at my decease.”   

                                                      

Embroidered purses

There are many survivals of embroidered purses, and the Calthorpe Purse of c.1540 (Fig. 1), in the Victoria and Albert Museum, is one of the best known. It was probably made for the marriage of Sir Henry Parker to Elizabeth Calthorpe of Suffolk, as it shows the arms of the two families. It is of extremely fine canvas work, 1,250 silk stitches per square inch (194 per square centimetre).  

Fig. 3 Beadwork purse 1634, V&A

Many of these embroidered purses date from the first quarter of the seventeenth century, and occasionally they appear in wills or probates. In 1604 Elizabeth Jenyson, who was the widow of Auditor General of Ireland, gave in her will “to my cosen Wyngate's wief a purse wrought with needlework.” In 1641 Roger Widdrington, esquire, in a long and contested inventory, his goods were worth £1446, his debts were £6620, owned “two wrought purses with gold and silver.” As well as canvas work and embroidery some survivals are done in beadwork, again in the Victoria and Albert Museum this purse, (Figure 3), is dated 1634 and has the motto “I PRAY GOD TO B MY GUIDE” These purses could be valuable, in 1643 Paul Williams had stolen from him “four purses wrought with gold and silver worth forty shillings.”              

Some purses might have been professionally made, but young girls and women could embroider their own, in 1650 the daughters of Edward Harpur had purchased for them “a quarter and two of canvas for a sampler and a purse 11d,” and when you had made them you would pay for them to be made up, the Howard family in 1618 paid 13s 4d for making up two purses. On other occasions the accounts also have “trimming a purse for my lady 2s”

Fabric purses

As well as needlework, purses could be of fabric. A 1582 letter, quoted in Cunnington says, “I have a pair of worsted stockens, the legs of them I pray you to get me a purse, a large one, made of them with a lock ring. I would have the fringe that shall go about it to be of silk.” In 1631 Frances Jodrell had “in a flatt boxe...a paire of network sleeves, a greene scarfe with gold fringe...a black wrought hancarchieffe..a little purse of velvet, another ould sattin purse wrought, a little sivet purse...”

Fig. 4. The Gunnister Purse, NMS

Purses could be knitted, possibly the best known is in the National Museums Scotland, the Gunnister Purse, found in a Shetland burial, it contained late 17^th century coins. (Figure 4 Image © National Museums Scotland)    

Leather purses

Most purses were leather, and these could be much cheaper than the fabric or embroidered purses. The Howard family paid in 1628 for “a leather purse 4d,” while in 1605 “a leather purse worth two pence” was stolen from Henry Gates in London.  They could even cheaper than these, in 1636 James Evans had in stock “2 doz. of litle leatherne purses 1s 6d”, which works out at three farthings each. Leather purses rarely survive except in archaeological contexts. A leather purse, possibly 16^th century, in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, is quite complex, it has a metal clasp at the top, but underneath are two other compartments. (Figure 5) 

Fig. 5. Leather purse, Met Museum

Fastenings

Most of the survivals looked at so far have been closed with a drawstring, but a variety of metal clasps as in the Metropolitan Museum example could be used. Rowlands in 1616 refers to “A leather pouch with a snap-hance shut,” and there are examples of this type of closure in the Victoria and Albert Museum. The Museum of London and other museums have survivals of various styles of metalwork purse frames, without the fabric or leather, which has rotted away.  

Making and selling

Who sold the purses? In 1611 Henry Lockwood, a glover, had “Att the shop in ye town: ... on dussen of gloves 4s, ...for pursses and poynts 1s 6d,” while another glover in 1631, Nichodemus White, had “4 dozen and 4 purses and one silke purse 10s” In 1628  Margaret Day, the widow of a glover who was obviously still running her late husband’s business, had in stock “twelve dozen and nine purses of farthing ware.”  These glovers were obviously also making purses as well as gloves, and gloves also appear in the shop accounts of whittawers, whose who dealt in white leather. Chapmen also carried then amongst their goods, in 1642 William Mackwell had “3 purses at 1s 6d per peece” and a further 10 purses for the same price in his stock, while in 1628 John Uttinge had 6 small purses at 1d each and 2 silk purses at 5d each.  In 1679 Henry Mitchell,  a haberdasher, had purses in stock at 1s each, while in 1702 James Osburne, a linen draper lists purses and girdles in his stock.  

Further reading

There is a detailed examination with patterns, of a matching embroidered purse, pincushion and knife case of 1600-25 in the Victoria and Albert Museum, by Claire Thornton in Susan North and Jenny Tiramani (eds) Seventeenth century women’s dress patterns, book 2. (V&A Publishing, 2012, ISBN 978 1 851776856)

For those interested in embroidered purses, Jacqui Carey,  Sweet Bags: An Investigation into 16th and 17th Century Needlework. (Carey Company, 2009, ISBN 09523225 7 9)

A good source for anyone looking for further information on leather purses is the book by Olaf Goubitz, Purses in Pieces: Archaeological Finds of Late Medieval and 16th-Century Leather Purses, Pouches, Bags and Cases in the Netherlands: archaeological ... puches, bags and cases in the Netherlands (Stichting Promotie Archeologie, 2009, ISBN 978-9089320148)

                         

 

Occupational dress in Randle Holme

Laroon's Sweep 1688

There are few items of dress in the seventeenth century that are specific to certain occupations, except perhaps for aprons, which have already been covered at Men in Aprons. Most working men wore what was normal clothing for the time. Randle Holme in his Academy of Armory gives some descriptions of various working men, for example; the carpenter “with a cap on his head, sable turned up argent. Cloathed in a short coat girt about the middle, grey; breeches and hose russet. Shoes of the second” and “the like in a short Coat girt, Knees bare, with Startops on his Leggs.” As Randle Holme was a herald all the descriptions he gives are in heraldic terms. Here are a few more of his descriptions of men in various occupations, and a list of the heraldic colour equivalents.

                                                                                  

Barber “A barber is always known by his cheque particoloured apron; it needs not mentioning; neither can he be termed barber (a poller or shaver as anciently they were called) till his apron be about him.”

Chimney-sweeper, “term him a Man in a Gown, and Broad Brimmed Hat, with a Bag and his poles on his Shoulder, with a Beazom or Brush at the ends, all Sable. This is the Badg of a Chimney Sweeper.”

Cooper “in his waistcote and cap, breeches and hose russet”

Cooper, 1640s Cryes of london

Running footman – “generally for ease of speedy going clothed in light thin cloaths, all in white as doublet slashed or open, breeches or drawers, and stockings of the same, thin soled shoes called pumps. These men run by their Lord’s coach or horse’s side.”

Hedgers are described as having “Mitten. This is of some termed a hedged mitten and glove to hedg with; a tethering glove.”

Porter “carrying of a Pack, Argent, Corded Sable; Cloathed in Tawney, Cap and Shooes of the third. This is the Badge and Cognizance of all Porters and Carriers of Burthens; they have ever a Leather Girdle about them, with a strong Rope of two or three fouldings hanging thereat which they have in a readiness to bind the Burthen to their Backs whensoever called thereunto.”

Sailer “in a short Coat and Startops, and a Cap.” “A Sailer, proper, his Cap, Gules, turned up, Or, a Crevat or Sailors Scarf about his Neck party coloured, in a Wastcoat and Canvice Breeches, Hose, Argent, Shooes, Sable; holding of a Rope in both hands, which proceed out of the Dexter chief, of the last.

 Salter, or Salt-Man, “or Wich-Man, with a Staff on his right shoulder, with a Salt Basket (or Salt Pannier) hung thereat, and a Staff in the other hand, … Cap Sable, turned up and Cloathed Gules, Hose of the first, Shooes of the third.” “A Salter proper; Hat and Shooes, Sable ; Cloathed, Gules; his under Coat Argent, with a Staff in his right hand, and a Salt Basket hanging over his left shoulder, Or; the Rope or Withe, Sable.

Tinker “with his Budget on his Back, Hat, Apron and Shooes, Sable; Clothed all in grey; having always in his mouth this Merry cry, Have you any Work for a Tinker”

 

Heraldic colours:

Tinker, 1640s Cryes

Argent                Silver/white

Or                        Gold/Yellow

Gules                    Red

Azure                   Blue

Vert                      Green

Purpure                Purple   

Murrey                Mulberry

Sable                   Black

Sanguine             Blood red

Tenné                  Tawny 

                                                 

Nightcaps, 1550-1750

1600-25. In LACMA, Los Angeles

 Nightcaps were caps worn by men informally at home, and sometimes under a hat. There are a number of portraits in which the sitter wears a nightcap under their hat. In the late sixteenth and first half of the seventeenth century survivals are often heavily embroidered, which is why they have survived. King Charles I matched his nightcaps to his informal wear waistcoats, having in 1632 “a skie cullor sattin wastcoate with one gold and silver lace in a seame lined with plush, with a nightcap suitable wrought all over in rich workes with gold and silver lace, these were incredibly expensive, this set of waistcoat and nightcap together cost £16 9s 10d. A nightcap with matching slippers, said to have belonged to Charles II when he was Prince of Wales, survives in the Burrell Collection in Glasgow. [image below] At the bottom end of the market they were considerably cheaper, in 1608 Robert Booth Esquire had stolen from him in Middlesex, “a linen night cappe worth twelve pence,” while in 1610 Thomas Cademan had stolen “a wroughte nightcappe worth ten shillings.”  

From the 1650s on they are less likely to be embroidered and more likely to be quilted or of velvet, the fashion for periwigs resulting in more shaved heads that required a warm covering. In 1698 Montague Drake, esquire, in Buckinghamshire owned “four quilted night capps” and nine periwigs. In 1682 Richard Matthew, a vicar in Devon owned 15 nightcaps, and John Dale a yeoman in Wiltshire owned two.

Links to some surviving nightcaps – organised by date.

1550-1600. Linen with blackwork and metallic thread embroidery, metallic lace and spangles. Los Angeles County Museum of Art.  https://collections.lacma.org/node/2110101

1570-1600. Linen with polychrome and gold and silver embroidery. Museum number: T.55-1947. Victoria & Albert Museum. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O359994/nightcap/

1570-1600. Linen embroidered with blackwork and metal threads. Accession Number: 43.251. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. https://collections.mfa.org/objects/116887

1570-1630. Linen embroidered with blackwork and metal threads, and silver gilt bobbin lace trim. Museum number: T.224-1968. Victoria & Albert Museum.  http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O359993/nightcap-unknown/

1575-1625. Linen embroidered with blackwork and silver gilt thread. Museum number: 199-1900. Victoria & Albert Museum.  https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357058/cap-headgear/

1575-1625. Linen with polychrome silks and metallic embroidery. Accession Number: 43.250. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.   https://collections.mfa.org/objects/116883/mans-cap

1580-1600. Linen with silver thread embroidery. Cleveland Museum of Art.    https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1950.352

1580-1620.  Linen with blackwork and metallic thread embroidery, metallic lace and spangles. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. https://collections.lacma.org/node/2092825

1580-1620. Linen, embroidered in black silk and silver gilt thread. Accession number: 2003.6. Manchester City Museums. https://manchesterartgallery.org/collections/title/?mag-object-15262

1580-1620. Linen embroidered with blackwork and metal threads. Museum number: T.140-1929. Victoria & Albert Museum.  http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357050/cap-headgear-unknown/

c.1580. Linen with polychrome silk and metallic thread embroidery, with spangles and trimmed with metallic-thread lace. Object number: 1987.042. Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design. https://risdmuseum.org/art-design/collection/mans-nightcap-1987042

1590-1600. Linen cap, embroidered in black and silver-gilt. Accession number: 1959.271. Manchester City Museums. https://manchesterartgallery.org/collections/title/?mag-object-6642

1600s. Linen cap lining, with cream silk embroidery and linen lace. Accession Number 1971-50-115. Cooper Hewitt, New York https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18474003/

1600s. Linen, embroidered. Museum reference: A.1889.334. National Museums of Scotland. No image.  https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/collection-search-results/nightcap-mans/350817

c.1600. Linen embroidered with blackwork. Museum number: T.10-1950. Victoria & Albert Museum. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357668/nightcap/

c.1600.     Silk embroidered in silk and metallic yarns, in rainbows design. Museum number: 1962-53-11. Cooper Hewitt, New York. https://www.cooperhewitt.org/2014/02/12/a-little-nightcap/

c.1600. Uncut and part blackwork embroidered nightcap. Museum number: T.9-1950. Victoria & Albert Museum.   https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O319540/nightcap-panel/

1600-1620. Linen embroidered with black silk and silver-gilt threads. ID Number: 29.132 Burrell collection, Glasgow Museums. (image right) http://collections.glasgowmuseums.com/mwebcgi/mweb?request=record;id=37367;type=101

1600-1620. Linen embroidered with polychrome silk and silver-gilt threads. ID Number:  29.135. Burrell collection, Glasgow Museums. http://collections.glasgowmuseums.com/mwebcgi/mweb?request=record;id=37485;type=101

1600-1620. Linen embroidered with black silk and silver-gilt threads. ID Number: 29.136. Burrell collection, Glasgow Museums. http://collections.glasgowmuseums.com/mwebcgi/mweb?request=record;id=36682;type=101

1600-20. Linen worked with silk and metal threads, and spangles. Accession Number: 64.101.1241. Metropolitan Museum, New York. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/228950?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&ft=64.101.1241&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=1

1600-25. Linen embroidered with polychrome silk and silver-gilt threads. Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust. http://collections.shakespeare.org.uk/search/museum/strst-sbt-1994-70

1600-25. Linen embroidered with polychrome silk and metallic threads. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. https://collections.lacma.org/node/250323

1600-25. Linen with polychrome and gold and silver embroidery of strawberries, with spangles and silver gilt bobbin lace trim. Museum number: 2016-1899. Victoria & Albert Museum. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O15344/nightcap-unknown/

1600-25. Linen embroidered with blackwork and silver gilt. Museum number: 198-1900. Victoria & Albert Museum. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O72529/nightcap-unknown/

1600-25. Linen, embroidered with polychrome and silver-gilt thread with silver-gilt bobbin lace & spangles. Museum number: T.258-1926. Victoria & Albert Museum. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O73335/nightcap-unknown/

1600-25. Linen, embroidered with silver and silver-gilt thread with silver-gilt bobbin lace & spangles. Museum number: T.75-1954. Victoria & Albert Museum. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357046/cap-unknown/

1600-1625. Linen, embroidered mainly in silver and silver gilt thread, with pink, green and gold silk thread. Accession number: 1971.50. Manchester City Museums. https://manchesterartgallery.org/collections/title/?mag-object-7423

1600-1625. Linen, embroidered in black, silk and silver gilt. Accession number: 1972.113. Manchester City Museums. https://manchesterartgallery.org/collections/title/?mag-object-7435

1600-25. Linen embroidered in plaited braids of silver and silver-gilt thread, trimmed with silver-gilt bobbin lace, and with spangles. ID number 42.51. Museum of London. https://collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/online/object/90475.html

1600-25. Linen embroidered in polychrome silks, and silver and silver-gilt thread. ID number 27.117. Museum of London. https://collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/online/object/90472.html

1600-1630. Linen with wide border of needlepoint lace seamed to lower edge. Accession number: 2003.85. Manchester City Museums. https://manchesterartgallery.org/collections/title/?mag-object-14672

1600-30 Linen lining, said to have been worn by Charles I, plain with cutwork or needle-lace trim. ID number: 35.147/3. Museum of London. https://collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/online/object/91437.html

1600-30. Linen embroidered with blackwork. Museum number: 308-1902. Victoria & Albert Museum.  http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357057/cap-unknown/

1600-30. Linen embroidered with blackwork. Museum number: 1032-1903. Victoria & Albert Museum. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357056/cap-headgear/

1600-1630. Linen embroidered with silver and silver-gilt thread with spangles. Museum number: T15-1925. Victoria & Albert Museum.http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357052/cap-headgear-unknown/

1600-30. Linen, embroidered with polychrome and silver-gilt thread. Museum number: T.16-1925. Victoria & Albert Museum. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357051/cap-headgear/

1600-1630. Linen, embroidered with black silk, gold thread and gilt spangles. Museum number: 814-1891. Victoria & Albert Museum. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357060/cap-headgear-unknown/

1600-30. Linen, embroidered with black silk (almost completely missing) and silver-gilt thread. Museum number: 795-1892. Victoria & Albert Museum. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357059/cap-headgear/

1600-30. Linen, embroidered with green and yellow silk, gilt thread, and green ribbon.  Museum number: T.56-1934. Victoria & Albert Museum. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357047/cap-headgear/

1610-20. Linen, embroidered with silks, silver metal thread and spangles.  Chertsey Museum. https://chertseymuseum.org/search_collection?filter=nightcap&item=14092

1610-20. Linen, polychrome silk and metal threads. Fashion Museum, Bath. The Fashion Museum does not have an online search facility. The nightcap is on their Facebook page

c.1620. Uncut and part polychrome embroidered nightcap. Museum number: T.39-1955.Victoria & Albert Museum. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357612/nightcap-unknown/

c.1620. Linen, polychrome silk and metal threads. Sold at Bonhams. https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24678/lot/139/?category=list

1640-45. Pink silk satin embroidered in silk, silver and silver-gilt threads, with matching slippers (29.144-145). ID Number: 29.133. Burrell collection, Glasgow Museums. (shown left) http://collections.glasgowmuseums.com/mwebcgi/mweb?request=record;id=37208;type=101

1640-60. Red velvet embroidered in metal threads. ID Number: 29.315. Burrell collection, Glasgow Museums. http://collections.glasgowmuseums.com/mwebcgi/mweb?request=record;id=447014;type=101

1650-60.  Quilted white satin. Museum number: 786-1864. Victoria & Albert Museum. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357061/cap-headgear/

1675–1725. Green silk velvet embroidered with gold-metallic thread. Accession Number: 38.1298. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. https://collections.mfa.org/objects/46601/mans-negligee-cap

1675–1725. Light brown silk, embroidered with silks and metallic thread. Accession Number: 38.1308. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. https://collections.mfa.org/objects/46615/mans-cap

1675-1700. Linen in the chinoiserie style, embroidered in black, red, pink and yellow silk, turned up, peaked brim, lined yellow silk and bound with yellow silk ribbon. Accession number: 1952.123. Manchester City Museums. https://manchesterartgallery.org/collections/title/?mag-object-5833

1675-1700. Linen in the chinoiserie style, embroidered in yellow silk, turned up, peaked brim, unlined. Accession number: 2012.82. Manchester City Museums. https://manchesterartgallery.org/collections/title/?mag-object-5833

1675-1700. Linen, embroidered with silk (note museum dating of first quarter 17^th century is wrong). Accession Number: 39.145. Metropolitan Museum, New York. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/101826?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&deptids=62%7c8&when=A.D.+1600-1800&what=Costume&ft=cap&offset=20&rpp=20&pos=22

1680-1700. Quilted linen. Object number: NT 1348925. National Trust, Snowshill. http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1348925

1680-1720. Linen, embroidered over entire surface with yellow silk and coloured silks, lined with blue silk, blue silk turned-back brim trimmed with silver bobbin lace. Accession number: 2003.108. Manchester City Museums. https://manchesterartgallery.org/collections/title/?mag-object-14671

1680-1720. Linen, cotton, with silk embroidery. Accession Number 1951-105-32. Cooper Hewitt Collection, New York. https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18386589/

1680-1720. Cream silk embroidered cross stitch in green silk. Accession Number: 26.231.8. Metropolitan Museum, New York. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/98367?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&deptids=62%7c8&when=A.D.+1600-1800&what=Costume&ft=cap&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=2

1690-1700. Scarlet velvet embroidered in silver and silver gilt, with a spilt point brim. Museum number: T.95-1967. Victoria & Albert Museum. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O353236/nightcap-unknown/

1700-60. Quilted linen. National Trust, Snowshill. http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1348924

1700-50. Green silk embroidered in silk. Accession Number: C.I.46.9.224. Metropolitan Museum, New York. (image left) https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/116700?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&deptids=62%7c8&when=A.D.+1600-1800&what=Costume&ft=cap&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=20

1700-50. Silk with embroidery. Accession Number: 43.311. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. https://collections.mfa.org/objects/116815/mans-cap

1700-50. Blue silk embroidered with straw. Accession Number: 38.1315. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. https://collections.mfa.org/objects/46627/cap

1700-50. Linen with quilting and embroidery. Accession Number: 1973.486. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.  https://collections.mfa.org/objects/123621/mans-cap

1700-50. Blue silk with silk and metallic-thread embroidery, and metallic-thread lace trim.  Los Angeles County Museum of Art.   https://collections.lacma.org/node/214537

1700-20. Blue silk, embroidered in silk. Object number: NT 1348924. National Trust, Snowshill http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1348948

1700-20. Scarlet velvet embroidered in silver thread. Object number: NT 1348949. National Trust, Snowshill. http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1348949

1700-20. Pink silk with metallic embroidery. Accession Number: 43.307. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.   https://collections.mfa.org/objects/116801/mans-cap

1700-20. White satin silk with embroidery. Accession Number: 38.1307. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. https://collections.mfa.org/objects/46613/cap

1700-20. Linen, Italian quilting. Museum reference: A.1979.19. National Museums of Scotland. No image. https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/collection-search-results/nightcap-mans/350820

1700-1725. Linen, backed by coarser linen; turned up brim. Embroidered through both layers in white linen, chiefly in satin stitch, french knots and drawn fabric work. Accession number: 1948.1. Manchester City Museums. https://manchesterartgallery.org/collections/title/?mag-object-5527

1700-1725. Red silk velvet, lined with pale blue spotted silk.  Museum number:T.44-1918, Victoria and Albert Museum.  http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O139654/nightcap-unknown/

1710. Linen with wadded and corded quilting in black.  ID Number:29.140.  Burrell collection, Glasgow Museums. http://collections.glasgowmuseums.com/mwebcgi/mweb?request=record;id=36131;type=101

c.1720. Cream silk with pink silk brim, embroidered with silk threads. Accession Number: C.I.39.13.278. Metropolitan Museum, New York. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/112625?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&deptids=62%7c8&when=A.D.+1600-1800&what=Costume&ft=cap&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=17

1725-75. Cream silk with silk and metallic-thread embroidery, and metallic-thread lace trim.  Los Angeles County Museum of Art. https://collections.lacma.org/node/233262

1725-50. Green silk with silk and metallic-thread embroidery, and metallic-thread lace trim.  Los Angeles County Museum of Art. https://collections.lacma.org/node/246507

c.1730.  Green lampas (silk fabric with a brocading weft). Accession Number 1951-105-31 Cooper Hewitt Collection, New York.  https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18386587/

1740-60. Leather. Object number: NT 1348951. National Trust, Snowshill.  http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1348951

1740-60. Shot green/yellow silk. Object number: NT 1348950. National Trust, Snowshill.  http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1348950

1740-50. Red velvet, with turned-up brim and a tassel. Museum number: T.43-1918. Victoria & Albert Museum.  https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O353241/nightcap/

1740-50. Pale blue silk damask, with turned-up brim and tassel. Museum number: 294-1906. Victoria & Albert Museum. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O353247/nightcap/

c.1750. Linen, embroidered with silk, and a silver braid edging. Accession Number: 38.1297. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. https://collections.mfa.org/objects/46598/mans-negligee-cap

1700s. Orangey-red brocaded silk. Accession Number 1952-47-2. Cooper Hewitt Collection, New York. https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18392135/

1700s. Yellow brocaded silk. Accession Number 1951-105-30. Cooper Hewitt Collection, New York. https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18386585/

1700s. Linen embroidered with cotton. Accession Number 1950-19-1. Cooper Hewitt Collection, New York. https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18392133/

1700s. Yellow embroidered silk, with metallic lace trim. Accession Number 1952-47-1. Cooper Hewitt Collection, New York. https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18384431/

1700s. Linen embroidered with whitework and with a tassel. Accession Number: 43.1696. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. https://collections.mfa.org/objects/120485/nightcap

Mittens in the Early Modern

Leather, early 17th century. Met Museum

 Mittens, having a single undivided section for the fingers, usually with a separate part for the thumb,

 appear in archaeological survivals in Europe from as early as the 6^th century. (Willemsen, 2015) This looks at some of the survivals from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, mainly in England.

The earliest mention of the making of mittens in England is a reference to Robertus le Mitenmaker in 1287 Norwich. There are occasional literary references, Piers Plowman, written c.1380, had “twey [two] mytenes, as mete”. Mete in this sense meaning normal or apportioned out. From about the same date Chaucer also mentions mittens in the Pardoner’s Tale, “He that his hand wol putte in this mitayn, He shal haue multiplyyng of his grayn.”

The list of survivals below starts with a 15^th century example in the Museum of London, there are at least a dozen of these leather mittens that survive in archaeological finds in Holland.

Adult mittens -leather

15^th century – Working man’s leather mitten https://collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/online/object/30439.html

16^th century – Working man’s leather mitten - V&A Museum http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O361039/mitten-unknown/

1540s – Two left handed leather mittens were found on the Mary Rose. https://www.flickr.com/photos/leatherworkingreverend/5080238893

Early 1600s – Leather – Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art  https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/170542

Adult mittens - nålbindning

1500-1650 - The Åsle mitten, dated using carbon dating. It is made of wool using nålbindning, the remains of the fringe appear to have been in red white and green stripes. http://www.asleta.se/en/kategori/19/asle-mitten.html and https://historiska.se/upptack-historien/artikel/det-bidde-en-tummetott/

The Åsle mitten

 

Adult mittens - cloth

1600 – Black silk velvet mittens, trimmed with black silk fringe and lined with black silk plush, the gauntlets interlined with wool. – V&A Museum http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O163835/pair-of-mittens-unknown/

1600 Crimson velvet mittens with white satin gauntlets, embroidered with silver and silver-gilt thread and coloured silks in a design incorporating flowers, insects, pillars, etc.  – V&A Museum http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O77423/pair-of-mittens-unknown/

1600  Crimson silk velvet mittens with an embroidered gauntlet, National Trust, Dunham Massey- http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/934939

 

Children’s and babies’ mittens

16^th century – Child’s mitten – knitted wool with a pattern at the wrist. Museum of London https://collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/online/object/90608.html

16^th/17^th century – Child’s mitten – knitted wool. Norfolk Museums Accession number: NWHCM : 1961.74.6, not currently on display and no image. http://norfolkmuseumscollections.org/collections/objects/object-591601516.html/#!/?q=mitten

17^th century – Baby’s mitten – V&A Museum – no image available https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O353951/baby-clothes/

17^th century – Baby’s mittens – V&A Museum https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O353952/baby-clothes/

1650-1699 Baby’s mittens, fingerless – V&A Museum https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O318686/baby-clothes/

1670-1699 Baby’s mittens, fingerless – V&A Museum https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O319493/baby-clothes/