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Pair Of Pockets
This is a Pair of pockets. It is dated 1775–1825 and we acquired it in 2016. Its medium is linen and its technique is plain weave, cut and sewn. It is a part of the Textiles department.
Before the mid-19th century, pockets were not sewn into women’s clothing, but were a separate accessory. Usually worn in pairs, pockets were tied around the waist between a woman’s under-petticoat and her petticoat or skirt. Slit-like openings in the seams of these voluminous skirts provided a discreet way for her to access the pockets’ contents. Since pockets were not intended to be seen, many were plain cotton or linen like this example, although pockets with decorative embroidery were given as gifts. They were quite generous in size by today’s standards, and were used to hold a variety of personal items which might include money, a handkerchief, spectacles, sewing tools, a comb or small mirror, personal letters, and a snuff or bonbon box.
The museum currently has five other examples of women's pockets.
This object was
donated by
American Textile History Museum.
It is credited American Textile History Museum Collection.
Its dimensions are
H x W: 43.8 × 29.2 cm (17 1/4 × 11 1/2 in.)
Cite this object as
Pair Of Pockets; linen; H x W: 43.8 × 29.2 cm (17 1/4 × 11 1/2 in.); American Textile History Museum Collection; 2016-35-87
