Sarah Bowman Winter's "fancy weave" coat, Bath, ca. 1825
Item 105343 info
Maine Historical Society
Finely tailored and quilted, this elegant winter coat is made from figured or patterned silk. It features a large detachable collar and a wide band of complicated quilting along its lower skirt.
A rare early 19th century example in the MHS collection, this type of slim, long coat is called a pelisse. The style suggests that the coat originated in England. In addition to the belt-like ribbon under the bust, aqua colored silk ties are attached along the front closure. In an era when puffed sleeves necessitated the use of winter capes, this sleeved coat may have been unusual. On the other hand, it may simply be a rare survivor, demonstrating puffed sleeves were not ever-present.
Associated with Sarah Bowman Winter of Bath, Maine, the coat was passed down through the Anderson family of Windham. Sarah Bowman (1792-1828) married Samuel Winter of Bath in 1814. Their daughter Marcia married into the Anderson family in 1847.
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