Images(7)

Shirt

Dateca. 1750

OriginEngland

MediumLinen, wood, silk

DimensionsOverall length: 38 inches Width: 29 inches

Credit LineMuseum Purchase, The Friends of Colonial Williamsburg Collections Fund

Object number2023-103

DescriptionA man’s shirt made of plain-woven white linen with fine linen wrist ruffles. The shirt has a tall collar that was designed to fold over a neck stock, with a row of very fine decorative stitching around the neck edge. Two more rows of decorative stitching are at the top of the collar and are sewn opposite of the neck edge, these two rows would be seen once the shirt is folded over the stock. The collar closes with three buttons. Only one button survives which is thread worked over wood. The neck gussets are set into the neck edge and are further reinforced with a narrow wristband. The body of the shirt is seamed down both sides with the selvage edge running down body left. A decorative heart embellished with French knots and fine stitching finishes the lower edge of the bosom slit. Full sleeves are neatly gathered into the body and terminate with very narrow wrist bands. Ruffles extend down the wrist vent, across the top of the wristband, and back down the vent. The wristband close with sleeve buttons or cuff links. Each of the side vents of the shirt terminate in reinforcing triangles. The body right is marked “RB” in yellow silk, which may have been red.
Label Text18th century shirts are very rare survivors. Shirts from this period have unique features such as full sleeves, narrow wristbands, and narrow shoulder straps across the top of the shirt. This garment was the under most garment that a man wore daily. It would have been regularly cleaned, washed, starched, and blued to maintain its crisp white appearance.
MarkingsThe body right is mark "RB" in yellow silk cross stitch, which may have been red. Top of the shirt sleeve going into the shirt is marked in backstitches "209."