Woman’s gray-green wool riding habit, early 20^th century. The double-breasted jacket is quite fitted; a button and thread loop hook up the side-saddle skirt on the right side. It is labeled: Charles Wm. Davis / Tailor to Royalty / 56 Brook Street W. / Exactly Opposite Claridge’s Hotel / Riding Habits, Tailor Gowns, etc. It was worn by Josephine Dulles Eppes (1855-1920) of Virginia.

Gift of Mrs. John Hatcher in 1975

Riding and the hunt have been popular pastimes for elite society throughout Charleston’s history. Men and women donned special attire to emulate the English fashion setters. Most women, at least in conservative circles, rode side-saddle, necessitating a rather unique skirt or overskirt. Women in the rugged American West dared to ride astride the horse, while Easterners continued side saddle until the 1920s.

Man’s riding suit, early 20^th century. This brown suit with jodhpur pants and matching vest came from the Logan House at 32 Church Street. It was probably worn by the house’s owner, William Turner Logan (1874-1941). Logan, a practicing lawyer in Charleston, was a state representative from 1901-1904, and a Representative in Washington from 1921-1925. He married Louise Gibert Lesesne in 1909.

The jacket is labeled Abercrombie & Fitch Co. / New York. The firm was established by David Abercrombie in 1892 as a supplier of rugged, outdoor gear. Ezra Fitch became a partner in 1900, though tempers flared and Abercrombie resigned in 1907. Fitch continued to expand the store, trying innovative display and sales techniques and adding catalog sales. Around 1913, it became the first store in New York to supply sport clothing to women as well as men.

Gift of Anna Wells Rutledge in 1962

Both garments are on exhibit in Hunt & Habit now through April 21, 2013.

TEXTILE TUESDAYS: Each Tuesday we post a piece from our textile collection.  Some items have been on exhibit, some will eventually be shown in our Historic Textiles Gallery and some may be just too fragile to display. We hope you enjoy our selection each week – do let us know if there’s something in particular you’d like to see on TEXTILE TUESDAY! #TextileTuesday

These calendars come from both our Trade and Advertising collection as well as our (true) Ephemera collection. All have various donors and have come into the collection at different times - except for the Imperial Fertilizer Company’s calenders. Those were both “found in the collection.” Perhaps they belonged to a past curator?

In order of appearance:
1.    Advertisement for Alva Gage & Co., Charleston Ice House, located on N.E. Corner of Market and Church Streets. At bottom is a miniature, tear-off, monthly calendar for the year 1888.
2.    Calendar, compliments of Imperial Fertilizer Co., Charleston, SC. Small calendar for 1891 in the lower, right corner. City directory for 1891 shows Imperial Fertilizer Company located at Brown’s Wharf.
3.    Calendar, compliments of Imperial Fertilizer Co., Charleston, SC. Small calendar for 1891 in the lower, left corner. City directory for 1891 shows Imperial Fertilizer Company located at Brown’s Wharf.
4.    Calendar for 1901 in four pieces. When placed in a vertical row, a larger picture forms from the image in the center of each piece.
5.    Calender for 1896 in four pieces - with three months apiece on each. Each piece has an elf-like figure dressed in a different colored set of similar clothes.

EPHEMERA FRIDAY: Each Friday we post a selection or small collection from our Archives. Some items may be on exhibit, some may be too fragile to display and some may be too unusual to fit into our typical Lowcountry exhibit themes. We will occasionally ask for help identifying people or places in photographs that have come to us with little or no information. We hope you enjoy our selection each week – do let us know if there’s something in particular you’d like to see on EPHEMERA FRIDAY.

Absterdam Shell
Maker: John Absterdam
Origin: Philadelphia, PA
Date: 1864

Developed in 1864 by John Absterdam, a New York-born inventor, these 4-inch-diameter exploding shells were near-complete failures for the Union artillery. Thankfully, however, Absterdam shells appeared too late in the Civil War to make a significant impact. Results gathered during the Absterdam’s field tests were deplorable. Out of 239 test fires only 5 were successful; 144 shells tumbled end-over-end in flight, 32 disintegrated inside the cannon barrel and another 58 failed to detonate. Nevertheless, the Federal government purchased over 60,000 pieces for their armories and actually used some of them in the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign from June 1864 to March 1865.

Weaponry Wednesday: Each Wednesday we post an object (or group of objects) from the Charleston Museum’s diverse weapons collection. Many Weaponry Wednesday items may be on permanent exhibit in our armory or elsewhere in the museum, but some pieces rarely see exhibition, temporary or permanent, but are well worth sharing.  We hope you enjoy our selection each week – do let us know if there’s something in particular you’d like to see on WEAPONRY WEDNESDAY! Also, we always want to learn more about our collection - if you have some insights on a piece, please feel free to share!  #WeaponryWednes

Even in temperate South Carolina, riding in a carriage to a winter-time event could be quite chilly. The following dressy overshoes, or carriage boots, were worn over delicate evening shoes. They were often fur-lined or trimmed and feature a slit front with ribbon ties for easy on and off. While carriage boots were worn by women throughout the 19^th century, all of our examples date from late 19^th to early 20^th century.

Two examples shown are quilted cotton with leather soles, lined with wool and trimmed with fur. Two examples are black velvet with leather soles, one lined with astrakhan (curly lamb’s wool from Russia) and the other with quilted sateen. They too are trimmed with fur. The fifth pair is black leather with rubber soles, lined with quilted sateen and trimmed with fur. All boots have a long tongue and front closure with ribbon ties.

Only one pair (black velvet with black fur) has a maker’s label: “Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co. / Chicago,” a chain of department stores expanded from Carson & Pirie in 1889. These shoes belonged to Eulalie Northrop who married John Furman Wall in 1912 in Marion, SC.

Pictured left to right (according to group photo):

1. Black velvet, lined with astrakhan

2. Black leather with rubber soles, quilted white cotton sateen lining

3. Black quilted cotton, lined with wool

4. Black velvet, lined with quilted white sateen – Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co. label

5. Black quilted satin, white flannel lining

TEXTILE TUESDAYS: Each Tuesday we post a piece from our textile collection.  Some items have been on exhibit, some will eventually be shown in our Historic Textiles Gallery and some may be just too fragile to display. We hope you enjoy our selection each week – do let us know if there’s something in particular you’d like to see on TEXTILE TUESDAY! #TextileTuesday

This fabulous silk crepe evening gown from 1931 is glamorous and elegant. The supple silk crepe fabric was one of the most popular choices for evening wear – it drapes and clings beautifully. The cowl neck in front is created by soft shoulder pleats and there is a small metal weight encased in silk that hangs about an inch from the center front. The back is cut deeper for maximum visual effect while dancing “cheek to cheek” and the shoulder drape adds a bit of panache. The softly flared skirt has a bias cut peplum and slits around the bottom hem. A narrow silk belt fastens with a beautiful Art Deco buckle of ivory and gemstones. The dress has a side opening that closes with tiny snaps.

This beauty was worn by Ruth Petty Pringle after her marriage to Willis Benton Pipkin in Charleston in 1931. She purchased this dress, along with most of her other trousseau items, in New York. They then lived in Reidsville (near Greensboro), NC. Ruth was born in 1910, the daughter of Ashmead Forrester Pringle and Agnes Petty of Charleston.

TEXTILE TUESDAYS: Each Tuesday we post a piece from our textile collection.  Some items have been on exhibit, some will eventually be shown in our Historic Textiles Gallery and some may be just too fragile to display. We hope you enjoy our selection each week – do let us know if there’s something in particular you’d like to see on TEXTILE TUESDAY! #TextileTuesday

This collection of New Year’s greetings come from both our historic postcard collection and our greeting card collection. Dates have been noted when possible but many times the cards were not postmarked - and the date was not used in the message - so no date has been determined.

In order of appearance:

1. postcard, no date

2. Postcard addressed to Mrs. S.J. Rumph, Adams Run, SC; postmarked 31 December 1906.

3. Postcard addressed to Mrs. S.J. Rumph, Adams Run, SC; postmarked 31 December 1906.

4. Postcard signed by Ernest E and addressed to Miss Adeline Doscher at 105 Broad Street, Charleston, SC; postmarked 1910.

5. Postcard with caption in French; no date.

6. Postcard signed G.S. and addressed to Miss Eleanor Gary at 814 Eynon Street in Scranton, PA; postmarked 1920.

7. Greeting Card signed to Fannie from Kate; circa 1910.

8. Postcard addressed to Mrs. L.H. Scheuck in Meridian, N.Y.; postmarked 1911.

9. Greeting Card, no date.

10. Postcard signed by A. Wulbern and addressed to Mrs. R. Waring at 36 Coming St, [Charleston] City; postmarked 1910.

EPHEMERA FRIDAY: Each Friday we post a selection or small collection from our Archives. Some items may be on exhibit, some may be too fragile to display and some may be too unusual to fit into our typical Lowcountry exhibit themes. We will occasionally ask for help identifying people or places in photographs that have come to us with little or no information. We hope you enjoy our selection each week – do let us know if there’s something in particular you’d like to see on EPHEMERA FRIDAY.

Santa map produced by the General Drafting Co., Inc., in 1955. The map shows Santa participating in different cultural activities, sports and trades around the world. This piece is from our Trade and Advertising collection as it truly reflects a piece of ephemera with no other purpose than as an advertising “gimmick.” General Drafting Co, Inc. was one of the major road map publishers for much of the 20^th century. The map measures 30” x 15”. Click here for a zoomable version.

These other Santa images appear to be from the same publication, likely a children’s book. They may have been removed to use as decorations in a nursery or at Christmas. While we can see some of the text on the reverse of the images, we don’t have enough (or a title page) to be able to determine from which book these came.

EPHEMERA FRIDAY: Each Friday we post a selection or small collection from our Archives. Some items may be on exhibit, some may be too fragile to display and some may be too unusual to fit into our typical Lowcountry exhibit themes. We will occasionally ask for help identifying people or places in photographs that have come to us with little or no information. We hope you enjoy our selection each week – do let us know if there’s something in particular you’d like to see on EPHEMERA FRIDAY.

Cartridge Box
McKeever
Rock Island, IL
1874-1885

After Reconstruction and the 1876 election of Governor Wade Hampton, South Carolina was free to reorganize its militia system. By the late 1870s, various clubs were reinstated as useful militia forces. Groups such as The Charleston Riflemen, Irish Volunteers and the German Fusiliers were allowed to rearm and return to state military service. Due to the local economy of the time, however, funds were severely limited in what these various groups were able to acquire. Many were only able to obtain cheap surplus weapons and accoutrements from United States military depots like these pouches, where a brass “SC” was simply tacked over the pre-existing stamped “US.”   Years later on January 21, 1903, Congress passed the Militia Act calling for a standardized National Guard. Perhaps more importantly, all organized state military groups were granted Federal status, eliminating the need for local funding.

Weaponry Wednesday: Each Wednesday we post an object (or group of objects) from the Charleston Museum’s diverse weapons collection. Many Weaponry Wednesday items may be on permanent exhibit in our armory or elsewhere in the museum, but some pieces rarely see exhibition, temporary or permanent, but are well worth sharing.  We hope you enjoy our selection each week – do let us know if there’s something in particular you’d like to see on WEAPONRY WEDNESDAY! Also, we always want to learn more about our collection - if you have some insights on a piece, please feel free to share!  #WeaponryWednes

Woman’s maroon wool serge dress, c. 1880. The bodice and skirt have velvet inserts and metal picture buttons with a design of gardening tools. It is lined with brown cotton and the bodice has encased stays. The skirt has a velvet pleat on one side with buttons and ornamental lacing; there is a pleated ruffle at the hem.

It was worn by Katie Brown Carmichael McCall (1853-1889) of Appin Plantation in Bennettsville, SC and was probably made by an itinerant seamstress. The donor remembers hearing that a dressmaker would stay at her great-grandmother’s house for several weeks, sewing the season’s wardrobe. The museum was given three dresses, each a different color (maroon, green and black), very similar in styling and most likely made by the same person. The idea of an itinerant seamstress makes a lot of sense. While Bennettsville was founded in 1819, it did not get a railroad until 1885. A small, rural town, it is about 100 miles from Columbia and 170 miles from Charleston – a daunting trip in the 1880s. A traveling seamstress could make a number of garments with the owner right there for fitting, and then move on to another remote house or plantation.

Gift of Catherine Rogers in 2009

This dress is currently on exhibit in Seasonal Fashions: Winter in Charleston through January 6, 2013.

TEXTILE TUESDAYS: Each Tuesday we post a piece from our textile collection.  Some items have been on exhibit, some will eventually be shown in our Historic Textiles Gallery and some may be just too fragile to display. We hope you enjoy our selection each week – do let us know if there’s something in particular you’d like to see on TEXTILE TUESDAY! #TextileTuesday