Man's Frock Suit

Frock Suit: (A) Black wool/silk twill frock coat; peaked notched lapel; double-breasted; five button-holes and buttons at each side; round buttons with cut pile design; waist seam; long sleeves with seams at back; shoulder seams pushed towards back; back princess seams go into armscye; button at the bottom of each princess seam at back; center back seam; collar with center back seam; vent at center back; shallow pleats at either side of vent with pocket hidden inside; pocket lining in brown polished cotton; lining in black cotton sateen; pad-stitching visible at inside; pocket at inside proper left chest; sleeve lining in brown cotton twill.
Label: none
(B) Black wool/silk twill trousers; button-fly with six black enameled round metal buttons and hidden placket; pockets with flap held up by self covered buttons; six enameled round metal buttons with stamped decoration at top of waistband; top waistband edge bound in black petersham ribbon; brass buckle and self fabric tabs at center back waistband lining in off-white fine linen; flat-lining in off-white linen; pockets in brown cotton twill; front lining at hem in heavy canvas.
Label: none
Date: c. 1860

Hat: Black silk plush stovepipe top hat; seven and one-half inches high oval crown with slight flare at flat top; narrow black grosgrain ribbon band at seam of crown and brim; two inch wide oval brim with slight turn-up at sides; brim edged in black grosgrain binding; underside of brim covered in silk plush; three inch band of black leather at lower inner crown; upper crown lined in neutral paper.
Label: "J. P. Thompson\ 108 CENTRAL STREET\ Lowell, Mass." stamped in gold at inner crown top.
Date: 1855-1860

Bowtie: Man's clip-on, pointed-end bow tie of black faille silk; curved stiffened backing covered in white cotton twill; wire button loop wrapped in white thread at CB.
Label: Cotton backing stamped "PAT. FEB. 24-75 W.H.H. JR. PHILA. & NY"
Date: c. 1877

Vest: Man's vest of floral pattern cut velvet; cut velvet features variegated background of black and brown with white floral bunches printed on top in diagonal rows, velvet loops of floral bunches cut; rounded lapels; five shank button closures down center front; buttons covered with black cut velvet along outer edge, brown threads cover center of button with blue and black design applied on top; slash pocket at proper left breast; slash pockets at right and left hip; back of vest of mercerized brown cotton; adjustable back belt of brown self-fabric attached at side seam, metal buckle placed in center; bottom edge of vest curves upward at center back; interior lining of off-white cotton; bottom inner edge of front of vest lined with strip of brown leather.
Label: none
Date: c. 1855

Shirt: Man's white linen shirt with long sleeves and embroidered front; standing band collar with single mother-of-pearl button closure; shoulder seams placed forward on shoulder; set-in sleeves with fullness slightly gathered into French-seamed armscyes; long triangular gussets under arms, towards back; fullness gathered tightly into three inch self-fabric cuffs; seven and one-half inch slit openings with small triangular gusset; one mother-of-pearl closure with second closure of two buttonholes; center front slit opening to waist with three buttonholes on each side of opening; rectangular panel embroidered in white-work with French knot four leaf clusters and scalloped border; fine openwork stripes fill embroidered section, which narrows to waist; self-fabric band reinforces lower seam of rectangular panel; arrow-shaped self-fabric flap with buttonhole at end extends from bottom of panel; shirt skirt gathered tightly into bottom seam of panel; side seams end just below waist with small triangular gussets; shirt front shorter than back; both front and back rounded; fullness of back of shirt tightly gathered into narrow horizontal yoke at upper shoulder.
Label: Initials embroidered in red thread at interior center back yoke/neckline; possibly "VIS".
Date: 1840-1880

Shirt Studs: Jewelry set of red leather box with three hair-work shirt studs inside;
(A-C) Three studs of gold-colored metal in a knotted-branch design; cut-outs on branches expose brown braided hair;
(D) Red leather box in long oval shape with gold clasp; gold accent on lid; lid lined with forest green silk and has label printed in gold; bottom of box holds studs with a forest green velvet base.
Label: "BETHEL JACOBS./JEWELLERS&SILVERSMITH/TO THE QUEEN./HULL." printed in gold on lining of lid; crown emblem printed in gold above text.
Date: 1850-1890