Kent State University Museum: Centuries of Childhood

Exhibition

Centuries of Childhood
Alumni Gallery, September 27, 2000 to September 31, 2001
Anne Bissonnette, Curator

Children's garments from 1890 to 1899

Girl's red dress trimmed with black velvet ribbons
United States of America, c.1896-97
Scarlet silk taffeta long sleeves dress trimmed with velvet ribbons in a grid at the neck yoke and wrists and applied flat at the hem.
Collection of the Allen Art Museum, Oberlin College
Gift of Helen Cooper Faunce, 1972, KSUM L1995.17.164ab

Boy's red wool and black velvet dress
United States of America, Ohio, Massillon, c.1880s
Young boy's red wool twill ensemble with attached kilt-like skirt, trimmed in black velvet and steel cut buttons.
Worn by the brother of Jessie Baltzer as a 4½ year old child.
On loan from the Massillon Museum, gift of Albert Hise, 1961, KSUM L00.14.5

Boy's white piqué dress
United States of America, c.1897
White piqué dress with mock vest style worn by boys and girls. Long sleeves gathered at shoulders and wrists. Buttons at center front and back with closure along back only. Collar, vest and patch pockets trimmed in eyelet embroidered ruffle.
Worn by Ferdinand Josiah Penley, born 9 August 1895.
Kent State University Museum, Gift of Ruth Skerpan, KSUM 1997.20.2

Boy's black and white check sailor ensemble
United States of America, c.1897
Printed cotton with white piqué cuffs and sailor collar, style worn by boys and girls. Bodice with long sleeves gathered at shoulders and wrists. Pleated skirt. Worn in accompanying photograph by
Ferdinand Josiah Penley at age 2.
Kent State University Museum, Gift of Ruth Skerpan, KSUM 1997.20.1ab

Boys young and old were often dressed in military style garments. Among royalty this traditional went back many centuries, and it became widespread with the rise of the middle classes in the mid-19th century. The popularity of Highland kilts, tartans and plaids soared for young boys when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert established a residence at Balmoral, Scotland. In 1846, when the portraitist Winterhalter painted the 5 year old Prince of Wales in the newly established sailor suit of the British Royal Navy, a craze for sailor style garments for both boys and girls begun that is still with us today.