Brown Wool Woman's Tailor Made Suit
Description
Two piece green wool twill walking suit from 1910 - 1919. Dark green to black wide stripe and yellow-green thin stripe, trimmed in brown velvet.
Long jacket falls below the hips, has a wide collar and a mock cutaway style at the hem. It closes at center front with three faux tortoise shell Bakelite buttons. Princess seams front and back; on either side of the front princess seams are two single welt pockets (one either side) decorated with arrowhead tacks in brown thread. Back princess seams are decorated in brown velvet flat piping, ten covered buttons (in brown velvet ) toward the center back - five on either side, and large arrowhead tacks in brown thread at the top and bottom of piping. Two piece set in sleeves are trimmed in brown velvet flat piping four inches long topped with a large arrowhead tack in brown thread and accented with four Bakelite buttons. Jacket is lined in brown silk. Four weights at the hem, covered in matching brown silk, sit on either side of the opening of the jacket and at the ends of the princess seams in the back. False dickie in light brown wool is attached to the inside of the jacket at the front princess seams with a collar that sits over the collar of the jacket and is faced in the brown velvet of the trim. Closes at center front with 8 amber Bakelite shank buttons.
The skirt has an A-line shape, three gores in front and one piece in back. The sides of the front gore are trimmed in the flat brown velvet piping that ends 6 inches above the hem and are decorated with large arrowhead tacks in brown thread and 12 velvet covered buttons - 6 each side - toward the center front. The skirt opens on the right side of the front gore under the velvet trim with seven hook and eye fasteners in a 13 inch long placket. Waist is faced with black cotton sateen bias tape. On the back of the skirt at the side seam are 4 fake or flat pleats, two each side, that run from the hem up 17 inches.
Long jacket falls below the hips, has a wide collar and a mock cutaway style at the hem. It closes at center front with three faux tortoise shell Bakelite buttons. Princess seams front and back; on either side of the front princess seams are two single welt pockets (one either side) decorated with arrowhead tacks in brown thread. Back princess seams are decorated in brown velvet flat piping, ten covered buttons (in brown velvet ) toward the center back - five on either side, and large arrowhead tacks in brown thread at the top and bottom of piping. Two piece set in sleeves are trimmed in brown velvet flat piping four inches long topped with a large arrowhead tack in brown thread and accented with four Bakelite buttons. Jacket is lined in brown silk. Four weights at the hem, covered in matching brown silk, sit on either side of the opening of the jacket and at the ends of the princess seams in the back. False dickie in light brown wool is attached to the inside of the jacket at the front princess seams with a collar that sits over the collar of the jacket and is faced in the brown velvet of the trim. Closes at center front with 8 amber Bakelite shank buttons.
The skirt has an A-line shape, three gores in front and one piece in back. The sides of the front gore are trimmed in the flat brown velvet piping that ends 6 inches above the hem and are decorated with large arrowhead tacks in brown thread and 12 velvet covered buttons - 6 each side - toward the center front. The skirt opens on the right side of the front gore under the velvet trim with seven hook and eye fasteners in a 13 inch long placket. Waist is faced with black cotton sateen bias tape. On the back of the skirt at the side seam are 4 fake or flat pleats, two each side, that run from the hem up 17 inches.
Source
HCT.1986.156.6ab
Provenance
This suit was worn by Mary Hitler May (2/24/1891-11/26/1984) who lived in Circleville, OH. She was one of seven children born to Martha Ann Lindsey Hitler and Thomas Ludwig Hitler. Thomas and Martha were married in 1876 and Thomas worked as a farmer. Mary married Ralph May in 1918. Ralph was born in 1890 and also worked as a farmer.
This suit was manufactured by the Printz-Biederman Co. in Cleveland, Ohio. Moritz Printz, along with sons, Alexander and Michael, and his son-in-law, Joseph Biederman, founded the Printz-Biederman Co. as a partnership in 1894. The company incorporated in 1904 and operated until its closure in 1978. This particular suit bears the Printzess label a particular line for women produced by the company.
This suit was manufactured by the Printz-Biederman Co. in Cleveland, Ohio. Moritz Printz, along with sons, Alexander and Michael, and his son-in-law, Joseph Biederman, founded the Printz-Biederman Co. as a partnership in 1894. The company incorporated in 1904 and operated until its closure in 1978. This particular suit bears the Printzess label a particular line for women produced by the company.
Design Elements
Roll/Rolled Collar, Suit Dress,Tailored Jacket
Fiber/Fabric Information
fiber content=Wool
Decade
1910-1919
Color
Brown dark
Files
Collection
Citation
“Brown Wool Woman's Tailor Made Suit,” Fashion2Fiber, accessed April 24, 2024, https://fashion2fiber.osu.edu/items/show/2592.