USA > New York > New York City > Dutch New York (early history of the Dutch in New York) > Part 7
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Children were dressed like miniature grown people. The little daughters of the wealthy wore long dresses, ruffs, lace cuffs, caps, and often a good deal of jewelry. Boys were dressed in the style of their fathers, even to the large felt hat with plumes. It is not often that children's clothes are specially listed in the New Am- sterdam inventories; but occasionally we find such an item as " two children's stript caps," as in that of Mrs. Elizabeth Graveraet, and in the inventories of shop goods. Cornelis Steenwyck's is rather unusual in this respect, for we find " one red silk fringe belt and one children's ditto; two children's waistcoats, one coate and one pair breeches for children, one dozen children's caps, a parcel of linen for children, four dozen children linen caps, one dozen children's shirts, four children best linen shirts, three laced cuffs for children, two boyes' bonnets, three whisks for children, two pair children's sleeves of silk, six children tufted holland waistcoats, old, one dozen small linen children's hoods,
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one dozen children linen cuffes and one gold child's whistle." "One silk child's cloak and five child's aprons " appear in Matthew Clarkson's inventory.
The peasant-women, or farming-class, were more varied in costume than the wealthy burghers' wives and daughters who followed the fashions of Paris and Amsterdam. Generally speaking, the dress consisted of a woolen skirt, a jacket reaching nearly to the knees, with puffed sleeves, a standing collar, and a large woolen cloak. There were slight variations ac- cording to the country from which the women came. The Purmer women wore a tight-fitting jacket with narrow sleeves fastened around the wrists with silver buttons, a "breast cover," or stomacher, trimmed with small rosettes or bows, a standing collar, a short skirt, and a silver châtelaine with keys, a purse, knives, knitting-needle holders, and other trinkets. The Edam women might be distinguished by their flat linen collars turned back over their jackets. The wives of the South Holland farmers wore a laced jacket, with a flowered or velvet " breast cloth " pinned over it, which sometimes was adorned with a collar and fastened in front with buttons or loops. The North Holland women wore a white starched bonnet, with a high bodice laced up to the chin; while the very large and gaudy colored necker- chief was not worn round the neck but pinned on the bodice. Their skirts were longer than those of the South Holland women, which were so short that the poets poked fun at them. These last did not wear col- lars, but velvet neckerchiefs, or neckpieces, with thick golden clasps. The aprons were of blue linen with green binding; the skirts generally of brown material or black linen.
Stockings were red, blue, yellow, brown, and other
OLD DUTCH WATCHES RIJKS MUSEUM, AMSTERDAM
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colors, and slippers were generally worn as well as the wooden shoes. 1
The hair was combed back smoothly over and braided at the back of the head, after which this braid was twisted around the head. Over this was some- times worn a velvet hat, not unlike a man's hat, with a rim, straight in front and turned upwards in the back. These hats were generally worn to market, but the richer women often wore " embroidered bon- nets " and " cornet-caps," of which Mrs. De Lange had several (see page 63). The Alkmaar girls went bare- headed, but they had a knack of braiding their golden hair in a captivating way.
The suit of clothes for men consisted then, as now, of breeches, coat, and waistcoat. Baggy breeches were characteristic of the Dutchmen. They were usually of the same color as the waistcoat, and were extremely wide and reached to the knee. These were made in a great variety of shapes and colors, except in the case of the city magistrates, who rarely wore anything but black. There was no article of clothing on which more work and care were bestowed and which was made in so many different styles and called by so many different names, most of which were foreign. “Do you wish your breeches in the French or the German style? a flesh-colored pair woven in the German style, or one of the French fashion? " the tailor would ask. The breeches were elaborately trimmed with buttons. Cloth buttons were sometimes used; but if the gentle- man could afford it the decorative buttons were of silver. Wrought silver buttons were often given as christening presents for future use. Innumerable but- tons of silver, metal, thread, silk, and other materials are found in the shops of New Amsterdam. Mrs. Van Varick had seventeen dozen colored buttons, twelve
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dozen black, ten gross white, twelve and a half light thread, twenty-six dozen silk breast buttons, one gross silver breast buttons, seventeen dozen gimp coat but- tons, eight dozen thread coat buttons, four dozen and ten pewter, twenty-two dozen hollow buttons, five pairs shirt buttons, four gross bell metal buttons, and four gross bell metal hollow buttons.
Coats were of bright colors and often lined with silk. Tail coats came into vogue towards the last of the century and were made of fancy materials. The coats were also ornamented profusely with buttons. The waistcoat was bright and gay. Young noblemen, who set the fashion, selected very costly materials, such as gold and silver cloth, silver damask, white satin with golden stripes and embroidered with flowers, and fast- ened with three or four rows of handsome buttons.
The burgomaster usually wore a simple black cloth suit on week days; on Sundays and on holidays, a velvet one. In summer he wore a black satin waist- coat, which fitted tight around the chest and waist and was fastened in front with small golden buttons. This black costume was frequently worn at christenings and other ceremonial occasions. One or more black suits of velvet, satin, or broadcloth are conspicuous in the inven- tories of the prosperous citizens of New Amsterdam.
Cornelis Steenwyck has a long list of rich and ex- pensive clothes. He is beautifully dressed in his por- trait (see Frontispiece) painted by Jan Van Goosen about 1667, and now owned by the New York His- torical Society. For instance, one cloth coat with silver plate buttons is worth £4 15s. od .; another " stuff coat with silver plate buttons " is appraised at £4, and a black cloth coat and breeches at £2. Then he has a pair of cloth breeches, a cloth coat with gimp buttons (£2 Ios. od.), a black cloth coat (£2 Ios. od.),
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a black velvet coat, old (£3), " a coloured stuff coat," a silk coat, and one pair of silk breeches, black, and one old silk doublet (£1 5s. od.), a silver cloth doublet, an old velvet waistcoat with silver lace, a pair of " stockins " and linen breeches, a buff coat and silk sleeves (£I Ios. od.), a yellow scarf silk with silver fringes (£I 5s. od.), two cloth coats and breeches, a pair of breeches, and four fustian waistcoats.
Dr. Jacob De Lange could make a fine appearance. He had a black broadcloth suit (£1 5s. od.), a " cull'd serge, ye new suit with silver buttons" (£5), " a cul- lered cloth west coat with silver buttons " (£I 4s. od.), one " Japons coat lining with red say" (£1 15s. od.), two old " coates " (£I Ios. od.), and one black gros grain suit (£1 17s. od.). Asser Levy, 1682, had a black velvet jacket, a pair of black gros grain breeches and coat, one gray ditto, one dark broadcloth suit and coat, breeches; two linen breeches. Francoys Rom- bouts, 1691, owned two black coats, one colored coat, one waistcoat with silver buttons, three fustian waist- coats, and one pair of plush breeches and a linen coat. Lawrence Deldyke, 1692, had six coats, five waistcoats, two pairs of breeches, two pairs of plush breeches, and one morning gown. In his inventory we also find one pair of drawers. Francoys Rombouts had ten pairs of drawers and also a pair of crape drawers; Asser Levy had six linen drawers; Dr. De Lange has three silk drawers, two calico "mixt checkard " ditto, and three white calico drawers.
Mr. Joseph Farral, 1702, was also elegant in mat- ters of dress. His wardrobe included one light colored cloth suit (£3 Ios. od.), one pair plush breeches with cloth buttons, one pair woolen and three pairs striped linen breeches, one "French druged coat " and red striped waistcoat (£4 9s. Iod.), one " Capitation coat,"
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one silk " wasecoat," one fustian " wasecoat," and six pair Holland breeches. Tymen Vanborsen, 1703, owned two coats and a pair of "britches " and another pair with silver buttons valued at £8. Thomas Davids, 1688, had three waistcoats and seventy-six silver buttons worth £48. Colonel William Smith, of St. George's Manor, Long Island, had in 1704 one hun- dred and four silver buttons worth £5 Ios. od .; and a silver watch and silver buttons, £10.
Sleeves were often separate from the coat and were very handsome. Cornelis Steenwyck has three pairs of sleeves; Dr. De Lange's inventory mentions "nine and a half pair men's sleeves "; Francoys Rombouts, 1691, had six, and Lawrence Deldyke, 1692, three pairs of sleeves.
Turning now to shirts, we find Captain Cæsar Carter with seven plain shirts (£4 18s. od.), three new laced shirts (£4 Ios. od.), and three laced shirts worn (£4 Ios. od.) ; Dr. De Lange, thirteen linen men's shirts worth £2 15s. od. and three worth £1; Tymen Vanborsen, 1703, with twelve men's shirts(£4 Ios. od.) ; Matthew Clarkson, 1702, with no less than twenty-five; Asser Levy, "twelve new shirts and twelve worn shirts "; Francoys Rombouts, fourteen shirts; Law- rence Deldyke, " eight white and blue shirts "; and Joseph Farral, a " callico" shirt and three Holland shirts, worth £13, and five coarse linen and one flannel shirt (£I Ios. od.).
The men of the period, as we know from the many portraits showing ruffs, collars, and cuffs of various styles and beautiful materials, were particularly ele- gant in the matter of neckwear. Whether of Brussels or cambric, lace or needlework, embroidered or plain, they were very costly. One of the oldest styles was the simple rimmed collar with either large or small
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plaits. Then there was a collar shaped like a horse- shoe, flat in front and round at the back; also a stiff standing upright collar. About 1638 the Spanish col- lars were displaced by the not less costly French ones. These reached with long embroidered points down the back, and were fastened in front with cords, terminat- ing with small acorn-shaped balls. They were first worn by Prince Frederick Henry and his Court and later by all the patrician families. Later, when the long wigs, which hung over shoulders and back, be- came fashionable, these collars went out of fashion, and the band took their place, which also was finely em- broidered and likewise fastened with a cord with acorn- shaped balls.
A beautiful set of collar and cuffs was one of the presents a bride gave to her husband on the wedding- day, preferably made by her own hands.
The New Amsterdam inventories contain many ex- amples of neckcloths and cravats. Dr. De Lange was very elegant in this accessory of dress. He had two neckcloths with great lace, two pairs of gorgets with lace, six long neckcloths with lace, six short neckcloths with lace, two long neckcloths without lace, eight striped neckcloths, twenty-nine pairs of gorgets, and seventeen bands. Cornelis Steenwyck had " six men's linen neckcloths (12 shillings), twenty bands (£I), seven neckcloths (12 shillings), and three laced cuffs for men (3 shillings). Asser Levy's wardrobe in- cluded twenty neckcloths with lace and without, three hals (neck) cloths, eight ditto, and eight ditto of another sort. Captain Cæsar Carter had two laced neckcloths (£2 4s. od.), one laced neckcloth, worn (£o 7s. 6d.), and six neckcloths (18 shillings). Lawrence Deldyke, twelve muslin cravats and two lace cravats; and F. Rombouts, twelve neckcloths.
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In the old inventories the word "handkerchief " sometimes is used for the neckcloth; but in some of the New Amsterdam inventories the two articles are distinct. Captain Carter, for example, had five plain handkerchiefs and three laced handkerchiefs; Mr. Joseph Farrel, three handkerchiefs and three neck- cloths; Matthew Clarkson, ten handkerchiefs; Fran- coys Rombouts, twelve handkerchiefs; Lawrence Deldyke, four handkerchiefs; and Steenwyck has only one.
Stockings were of great importance, and were gen- erally of the same material as the trousers. Sometimes they were elaborately embroidered or trimmed. We read of silk, cotton, woolen, satin, flannel, and roll stockings; stockings with clocks and ribbed stockings; stockings of white, black, blue, and, above all, scarlet. The stockings were held in place by garters, and gar- ters contrasted with or matched the stockings. There were garters of satin, silk, or cloth. A pair of ribbon garters occurs in Steenwyck's inventory, and are worth eight shillings. Steenwyck had three pairs of stockings, two pairs of thread and one of woolen stockings (8 shillings) ; Dr. De Lange had " five pairs white calico stockings, one pair of black, and one of gray worsted stockings "; F. Rombouts, six pairs of stockings; and Lawrence Deldyke, five pairs of stockings. Captain Carter had a large assortment : " two pair thread stock- ings (6 shillings), one pair scarlet stockings (18 shill- ings), one pair blue worsted stockings (10 shillings), one pair white worsted and one pair coarse blue stock- ings (8 shillings), one pair old black silk (3 shillings), and one pair white cotton stockings (5 shillings)."
Stockings were sufficiently valued to be often be- queathed to friends and relatives. For example, in the will of Thomas Exton, gentleman, 1668, we read :
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I give unto Captain Sylvester Salisbury a new pair of silk stockings and a new pair of gloves that lye in the till of my black trunk. I give unto Mrs. Abigail Nicholls, my silver boat, a silver meat fork and a silver spoon.
In 1689, Lawrence Deldyke, the London merchant, writing his will on board the Beaver, leaves a pair of scarlet stockings to Lieutenant Matthew Shanks (a very appropriate name for such a bequest!), and another pair to Lancaster Symes.
Shoes were of brown or black Spanish leather. Some were cut open at the top and adorned with rosettes, or a bow of ribbon on the toe, and, as a rule, the heels were high. Indoors, slippers (" quiet walkers ") were worn and also sandals.
There were many shoemakers in New Amsterdam, and for expensive boots and shoes the leather was often imported. On Sept. 27, 1656, we read :
On the complaint of the Fiscal, William Brouwer, shoe- maker, was ordered to pay duty on Russia leather, etc. imported by him and to make a pair of shoes for the Fiscal.
Among the shoes and slippers we may note that Asser Levy, 1682, had two pairs of shoes and one pair of "pantoffles "; Captain Carter, two pairs of shoes and one pair of slippers; F. Rombouts, two pairs of shoes; Lawrence Deldyke, two pairs of shoes, one pair of boots, and one pair of shoe buckles; and Joseph Farrel, one pair of new shoes and one pair a little worn.
Gloves also occur frequently. Cornelis Steenwyck had two pairs of gloves ; Dr. De Lange, a pair of " yel- low tand gloves with black silk fringe," worth fourteen shillings; Francoys Rombouts, three pairs of gloves ; Lawrence Deldyke, one pair of gloves; and “ one pair white leather men's gloves " are found in Mrs. Eliza- beth Graveraet's inventory.
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The hat was of fine felt, round, low of crown and wide of rim, but not as low and flat as those of the Quakers; and very often it was trimmed with one large feather or several plumes, or it was ornamented with a chain of gold or row of pearls.
The tall hats (called sugar-loaves) were worn by the staid burghers, and the hats trimmed with laces, pearls and diamonds, feathers and plumes, were worn by the fashionables. In the inventory of a rich mer- chant of Develshem appear some " armosyn-colored, silver gray, and Sabin hats, hats with feathers and birds natural and imitations, allonges, cavalieres, carrees ; wigs à la Mousquetaire, wigs of goat, buck's and camel hair, etc." Towards the end of the century the long wigs became fashionable, the curls of which sometimes reached down to the waist, while the "toupet " or " coif " often rose a foot above the forehead. It was blond, weighed sometimes more than five pounds, and frequently cost from two to three thousand guilders.
Hats and wigs occur in the wardrobes of the burghers of New Amsterdam. A few examples will give an idea of the headgear worn here: Captain Cæsar Carter had one campaign wig (£1 5s. od.), one short bob wig (£I 5s. od.), and one old bob wig (10 shillings). He also had one lacker hat (£I), and one old hat (10 shillings), and one fur cap. Mr. Joseph Farral, 1702, had " three bob wiggs " (9 shillings) ; Matthew Clarkson, 1703, had a " hat with a mourning hat band "; Cornelis Steenwyck had four old hatts ( 12 shillings) ; Dr Jacob De Lange, one black fine hat, one old gray hat, one black ditto, all worth £I Is. od. Francoys Rombouts, 1691, had two hats and two peri- wigs; Lawrence Deldyke, 1692, two hats and one cap. Asser Levy, 1682, one hat, four coarse hats, two " capps," three man's " capps " with lace, a belt and a
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hat, and a gray and black hat. Two pearl cords men- tioned in the inventory may have been trimming for one of these hats.
To wear a cloak with elegance was the mark of a gentleman; and it was not an easy thing to throw it over the shoulders in the proper folds and to keep its graceful lines. The burgomaster wore it to church and to the meetings of the Council and kept it on with his hat when paying a call. On arriving home it was re- moved with the shoes, for which slippers were substi- tuted. Some of the cloaks of the day were richly trimmed with gold or silver lace, or embroidered, but, as a rule, they were handsome cloth lined with silk, and sometimes ornamented with buttons.
A number of cloaks appear in the New Amsterdam inventories, some of which are rich and costly. For instance, Dr. De Lange had a handsome heavy silk gros grain cloak lined with silk; Cornelis Steenwyck, a " light coloured gros grain cloak," a dark cloak with lining, a cloth cloak with lining of bay and wrought silver buttons; Francoys Rombouts had a " new black cloak " in 1691; and Lawrence Deldyke left a camlet cloak to Major Richard Ingoldsby.
Swords and belts and walking-sticks and canes oc- cur among the possessions of the wealthy citizens. Dr. De Lange had a sword with a silver handle and one with an iron handle, and two canes, one with a " silver knot or head " and one with an ivory head. Colonel William Smith, of St. George's Manor, Long Island, had a silver-headed cane, three handsome swords, and eleven embroidered belts worth the extraordinary sum of fiIo. Asser Levy, 1682, a silver-hilted sword, one sword with a belt. Captain Cæsar Carter, 1692, an old embroidered belt with silver buckles (£I Ios. od.), a white silk waist belt (8 shillings), a pair of pistols
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(£4), and a silver-hilted sword (£3 12s. od.); Mat- thew Clarkson, 1703, two walking-canes, two silver- handled swords, and a mourning-sword.
A melancholy wardrobe now confronts us. This belongs to Jaques Cosseau, once a prosperous merchant of New Amsterdam, but reduced to sad days at his death in 1682. Everything is " old " but one item, - "a new pair of stockings." The inventory reads: " one old serge coat, one old kersey coat, one old pair kersey breeches, one old black hat, one pair old black breeches, one pair old red breeches, and three old shirts." One red waistcoat without that opprobrious adjective was perhaps more presentable than the other articles. He also owned one neckcloth and "thirteen skeins of silk." Perhaps the latter were used for darning !
The dress of the farmers consisted of a waistcoat with sleeves, or a shirt-coat and an over-frock of black linen called "paltrok." The "hemd-rok " was cut short or long, and was made of serge, wool, cloth, or other materials. In some cases it was cut so low' that it hung in lapels over the hips. The breeches were wide and short; but sometimes they were long and hung down to the shoes. Some people wore fringes at the bottom of the short breeches, with large silver buttons, shields, or silver ducats as clasps. The collars were low and flat. The hats had a flat crown, rather high, with a short fringed rim in the shape of a sugar- loaf, such as the Quakers wore. Some people wore what is called a "skipper's cap," and others wore hats with wide rims. Some were made of flowered velvet, with a bow at the side or ornamented with a peacock's feather. The hair was cut very short. Leather shoes were worn only on Sundays, and wooden shoes on week days.
CHAPTER IV
ROOMS AND FURNITURE
N OTHING was too good for the prosperous New Netherlander. He emulated to the best of his ability his brothers, the merchant princes of the Spice Islands, whose luxury aroused the appre- hension of the home authorities and induced sumptu- ary laws. In furniture and upholstery he demanded the latest fashion. The looms of the East supplied him with silken fabrics for his hangings and fine rai- ment, and painted calico and other fine cotton goods for the comfort and elegance of his apartments. Venice and Bohemia provided him with exquisite glass ; and China, Japan, and Delft with ceramics that to-day would be priceless. With lacquer (or varnish) ware he was quite familiar, and his wrought silver was rich and plentiful. Most of his fine furniture was imported, but there were many able turners, joiners, and cabinet- makers here who were capable of making artistic use of the exotic woods and ivory brought into this port from the East and West Indies, from the Gold Coast and Madagascar. From the middle of the century, when the chairs, tables, cabinet-stands, and other arti- cles of furniture became light and graceful with side posts, rails, and supports made of turned work, beaded or spiral, we find many evidences of the new style in the inventories. Ebony was used here, as in Holland, for the expensive furniture, and ivory for inlaying. As early as 1644 we find brought into the port of New
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Amsterdam a prize laden with sugar, tobacco, and ebony. In 1663, the Gideon was chartered for a voy- age from Holland to Africa to procure slaves, copper, and elephants' teeth for New Netherland.
In the Albany County Records for 1654 we read :
Jan Gouw and Harmen Janse wish to sell a certain casket inlaid with ebony and other woods, on the follow- ing conditions, to wit: That the payment shall be made in good whole beavers ; which payment shall be made within twenty four hours, without one hour longer delay.
Jacob Janse Flodder remained the buyer for thirty beavers and nineteen guilders.
As a beaver skin was worth eight to ten guilders in 1654 ($3.50 to $4), this was a rather good sum, $120; and the casket must have been a very hand- some article to command such a price.
In 1681, the Royal African Company of England complained of Robert Allison for infringement of their charter by importing negroes, elephants' teeth, etc., into New York from Africa. Again, in 1702, Henry Jour- daine, mariner, owned sixty-one elephants' teeth marked " H. J."
Mahogany was undoubtedly known and used here as a cabinet wood towards the end of the century. A handsome table of this wood was brought from Holland in 1668 by Olaf Stevenson Van Cortlandt (see facing this page). The great kasten were usually made of oak, "French nutwood," or other kinds of walnut. In 1687, Mary Mathews has " one great wal- nut cupboard."
The native walnut was greatly praised by all early writers, as we have seen, but it was probably not so good for cabinet purposes as the Dutch. Be that as it may, we find that in 1658 a duty was imposed on wal- nut imported from Holland.
MAHOGANY TABLE BROUGHT FROM HOLLAND IN 1668 BY OLAF STEVENSON VAN CORTLANDT
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The presence of Oriental goods is very noticeable in the houses of New Amsterdam : ebony chairs and mir- ror frames, picture frames, chests and boxes, East India cabinets, caskets and boxes, waxed and lacquered trunks, beautiful articles of silver work, fine porcelains, carved ivory, and many exotic articles occur.
A great many of these doubtless were obtained from the Madagascar pirates. Governor Fletcher himself did not disdain to accept presents from the daring sea-rovers. The pirate, Giles Shelly, had, naturally enough, a fine collection of Eastern treasures; and we may particularly note Dr. De Lange and Mrs. Van Varick. The latter's house was full of such things. She had thirteen ebony chairs, one East India cabinet with ebony feet, two East India cabinets with brass handles, one small black cabinet with silver hinges, ten India looking-glasses, two East India cane bas- kets with covers, one fine East India dressing-basket, one East India, square gilt basket, one round East India dressing-basket, two wooden East India trays lacquered, one "round thing " lacquered, one small black cabinet with silver hinges, one " carved wooden thing," one East India wrought box, three silver wrought East India " cupps," one silver wrought East India dish, one small ebony trunk with silver handles, one East India wrought trunk, one East India wrought box, and " eleven Indian babyes."
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