Collections Database

Description:
Pocket made of homespun linen decorated with printed cotton patches mainly in shades of brown and the initials "R D," which came from a Deerfield house belonging to an Ashley family descendent. Before the late 19th century, pockets were not built into women's clothing in any regular way. Often initialed, a woman’s pocket or workbag was an extension of her self-worth, pride, and fine skill with a needle even though it was usually out of sight. Pockets were worn over the shift (the basic linen undergarment) and under the petticoat, tied around the waist and accessible through specially positioned slits in the petticoat. Pockets could contain such items as small personal items, sewing work-in-progress, scissors, pin-cushion, and small publications.

Subjects:
Textile fabrics; Cotton

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+F.892

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.