Pair of Gloves
1868-1878 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
In the 19th century gloves were an indispensable accessory for women. They were worn for day and evening wear. Wealthy women owned many pairs suited to different occasions and carefully chosen to match particular outfits. Strict rules applied to the wearing of gloves. A woman would be considered undressed if she left the house ungloved and it was customary, for instance, to keep gloves on in church, at the theatre and at balls but to remove them before dining.
These buff-coloured kid gloves are typical of day gloves worn by women throughout the 19th century. The cuffs have a scalloped edge and two small gilt metal buttons, stamped 'GG', provide a fastening at the wrist. The decorative pointing on the back make the hand appear more slender. The fashion for pale coloured soft kid leather was the subject of much discussion in etiquette manuals of the time. It was considered extremely bad form to wear discoloured or worn gloves, leading some to claim they 'can only be worn once'. This particular pair appear well worn and are stained and frayed on the fingers.
These buff-coloured kid gloves are typical of day gloves worn by women throughout the 19th century. The cuffs have a scalloped edge and two small gilt metal buttons, stamped 'GG', provide a fastening at the wrist. The decorative pointing on the back make the hand appear more slender. The fashion for pale coloured soft kid leather was the subject of much discussion in etiquette manuals of the time. It was considered extremely bad form to wear discoloured or worn gloves, leading some to claim they 'can only be worn once'. This particular pair appear well worn and are stained and frayed on the fingers.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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Materials and techniques | Kid leather, hand stitching, gilt metal buttons |
Brief description | Pair of kid leather gloves, England, 1868-1878 |
Physical description | pair of kid leather gloves |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions | 'GG' stamped on buttons |
Credit line | Given by Miss Montefiore |
Summary | In the 19th century gloves were an indispensable accessory for women. They were worn for day and evening wear. Wealthy women owned many pairs suited to different occasions and carefully chosen to match particular outfits. Strict rules applied to the wearing of gloves. A woman would be considered undressed if she left the house ungloved and it was customary, for instance, to keep gloves on in church, at the theatre and at balls but to remove them before dining. These buff-coloured kid gloves are typical of day gloves worn by women throughout the 19th century. The cuffs have a scalloped edge and two small gilt metal buttons, stamped 'GG', provide a fastening at the wrist. The decorative pointing on the back make the hand appear more slender. The fashion for pale coloured soft kid leather was the subject of much discussion in etiquette manuals of the time. It was considered extremely bad form to wear discoloured or worn gloves, leading some to claim they 'can only be worn once'. This particular pair appear well worn and are stained and frayed on the fingers. |
Collection | |
Accession number | T.134-1919 |
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Record created | December 10, 2008 |
Record URL |
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