Pair of Gloves
1870-1880 (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 cream-coloured kid gloves are typical of day gloves worn by women throughout the 19th century. In keeping with the fashion for slim looking hands, these gloves would have been stretched to fit the wearer, using a special glove-stretching tool. The decorative pointing on the backs of the hands adds to the slender appearance.
These cream-coloured kid gloves are typical of day gloves worn by women throughout the 19th century. In keeping with the fashion for slim looking hands, these gloves would have been stretched to fit the wearer, using a special glove-stretching tool. The decorative pointing on the backs of the hands adds to the slender appearance.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Kid leather, dyed and hand stitched, metal |
| Brief description | Pair of kid leather gloves, probably made by Hogart, Paris, 1870-1880 |
| Physical description | Pair of cream kid leather gloves with decorative pointing. The cuff is bound with white leather and the gloves are fastened with a metal dome and two hooks allowing for adjustment in size. Wrist-length. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'Hogart Paris' (Stamped on the inside wrist of the right-hand glove) |
| Credit line | Given by Mrs D. Roberts |
| Historical context | 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'. A slim, elegant hand was seen as a sign of good breeding and women's gloves became ever closer fitting. These gloves are in extremely good condition and appear never to have been worn. A stamp on the inside of the wrist on the right hand reads 'Hogart Paris', 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 cream-coloured kid gloves are typical of day gloves worn by women throughout the 19th century. In keeping with the fashion for slim looking hands, these gloves would have been stretched to fit the wearer, using a special glove-stretching tool. The decorative pointing on the backs of the hands adds to the slender appearance. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.228&A-1962 |
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| Record created | December 16, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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