Pair of Gloves
1860-1870 (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 lilac-coloured kid gloves are typical of day gloves worn by women throughout the 19th century. A slim, elegant hand was considered a sign of good breeding and women's gloves became ever closer fitting. The gloves shown in this image would have been stretched to fit the wearer, using a special glove-stretching tool. The decorative pointing on the backs of the hands add to the slender appearance.
These lilac-coloured kid gloves are typical of day gloves worn by women throughout the 19th century. A slim, elegant hand was considered a sign of good breeding and women's gloves became ever closer fitting. The gloves shown in this image would have been stretched to fit the wearer, using a special glove-stretching tool. The decorative pointing on the backs of the hands add to the slender appearance.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Kid leather, dyed, hand-stitched, metal |
| Brief description | Pair of kid leather gloves, probably made by Chlourvoisier, France, 1860-1870 |
| Physical description | Pair of lilac-dyed kid leather gloves. Wrist length. The cuff is bound with white leather and fastens with a single metal button. Hand stitched. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'Chlourvoisier' (Stamped on the inside wrist of the right hand glove, in green ink) |
| Credit line | Given by Mrs N. Nelson |
| Historical context | These gloves have never been worn and still have the protective tissue paper covering over the buttons and a thin thread holding them together. A stamp on the inside of the wrist on the right hand reads 'Chlourvoisier', presumably the glove maker. Exquisitely made French gloves such as these flooded the English market after 1825 when the prohibition on foreign luxury goods was lifted. |
| 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 lilac-coloured kid gloves are typical of day gloves worn by women throughout the 19th century. A slim, elegant hand was considered a sign of good breeding and women's gloves became ever closer fitting. The gloves shown in this image would have been stretched to fit the wearer, using a special glove-stretching tool. The decorative pointing on the backs of the hands add to the slender appearance. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.140&A-1961 |
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| Record created | December 16, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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