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From the Godey Room: Costumes Committee News Spring 2005 By Madelon Ali Last September the Costume Committee created its first complete exhibit entitled Men's Fashions in the 19th Century. After previously having exhibited only one or two costumes at a time for King Caesar House tours, this exhibit was a challenge for the committee. Our efforts were facilitated by the designation of a space for costume and textile exhibits at the King Caesar House, and the acquisition of five new museum quality mannequins. The exhibit was inspired by the donation of a vest owned and worn by John Hancock, signer of the Declaration of Independence. This piece, although from the late 18th century, is the oldest in our men's collection, and was donated by DRHS member, Tom Wood, a Hancock descendent. Eight other vests and five jackets are shown. A black silk stock was loaned by the Plymouth Antiquarian Society to enhance the outfit that was owned by Lloyd Granville Sampson, a Duxbury merchant. Three beaver top hats and some well-worn boots are also included in this exhibit. A newsletter article we submitted to The Costume Society of America, Region I, newsletter generated interest in our exhibit. Members of the costume and textile curatorial staffs of The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Rhode Island School of Design; Historic Deerfield; and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society all expressed their desire to view the men’s fashions because relatively few men’s items are extant. We invited them to a daylong program to see the exhibit and tour the King Caesar and Nathaniel Winsor, Jr. Houses. We received many compliments on the storage techniques and condition of the costumes as well as valuable advice on improving preservation methods. It was a pleasure to welcome these experts to the Society and to show off part of the important costume collection of the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society. |
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