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Culture:American
Title:wallet
Date Made:18th century
Type:Personal Equipment
Materials:textile wool, linen
Place Made:United States
Measurements:overall: 4 1/2 x 8 in.; 11.43 x 20.32 cm
Accession Number:  HD F.834
Credit Line:Gift of Helen Geier Flynt
Museum Collection:  Historic Deerfield
F-834f.jpg

Description:
Man's wallet or pocketbook decorated in an embroidered flame stitch pattern in wool on linen in reds, browns, and greens, and with a dark green lining. The wallet contained parts of pages of old newspapers dated 1775 and an acount book page. Cases for holding documents, paper money, letters and business cards were made by women to be used by men. The flame stitch pattern was easily accomplished, popular in a wide range of designs, and impressed people with its color, workmanship, and connotation of wealth when presented in the marketplace. Fine needlework defined status for both ladies and gentlemen during the 18th century, and reflected well on a genteel household where women had the skill and time to execute such work. Some of these wallets may also have been carried by a woman; however, the majority of these surviving accessories are embroiderd with men's names which give us the impression that they were mostly used by men.

Subjects:
Textile fabrics; Linen; Wool

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+F.834

Research on objects in the collections, including provenance, is ongoing and may be incomplete. If you have additional information or would like to learn more about a particular object, please email fc-museums-web@fivecolleges.edu.

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