Home tanned hide, shell and bone buttons, indigo dyed cotton fabric, woolen tape, cotton twill tape, porcupine quills. CW, CH.

Buttons on front give the impression of being double breasted, however the row on the right are false. There are 12 buttons total, with 9 of one type of bone button, 2 are of a different type and one is shell. Vest is lined with unbleached muslin and edged with blue indigo dyed fabric and later repaired with blue woolen tape. Quill work is curvilinear and symmetrical. Pockets are lined with twill cotton stripe fabric. Vest may have been a coat originally and has raw arm holes with remnants of a popped seam. Ink outline for quills is black in some areas, and red in others. CW, CH, SFR.

Curvilinear floral and symmetrical. CW. Quills are in natural, red, and blue. CW, CH.

This vest is a common 19th century style which is consistent with the collection date. This is not a true double breasted vest, but rather a single breasted item that has been modified with a second set of buttons to give the appearance of being double breasted. This garment, however seems to have been constructed of recycled materials, perhaps several pieces of clothing such as a coat. The back is plain other than tabs, which are missing a button and have been moved to better tailor the vest to a different size. The collar is an older style of high neck, and the quillwork is upside down. The colored quillwork is cut at the neckline suggesting that this was recycled from an older garment. See scanned drawing for measurements. CW, SFR, CH.

MHM Catalog