Description:
Pair of men's silk stocking which were never worn and came wrapped in the original paper inscribed in 18th century ink, "Taken from prize ship "Hannah" in..." An accompanying note reads: "Silk Stockings taken from the Prize Ship 'Hannah" captured by Capt. Dudley Saltonstall (1738-1796) of the privateer Minerva 1781." "Hannah" was a rich merchant ship from London bound for New York when Saltonstall captured it a little south of Long Island, and then off-loaded the cargo, which consisted primarily of West Indian goods, personal luxury items for British officers stationed in New York, and gumpowder, in New London, Connecticut. This cargo was said to be the most valuable (80,000 pounds sterling) brought into America during the Revolutionary War. This loss spurred the British to retaliate and attack New London and nearby Groton under the command of General Benedict Arnold. These stockings were knitted on a mechanized stocking frame which had been invented and successfully used in 1586 when the first silk stockings were made for Queen Elizabeth I. This pair is large, probably made for a man more than 6ft. tall.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2007.9 |
