USA > New York > Kings County > Flatbush > The social history of Flatbush : and manners and customs of the Dutch settlers in Kings county > Part 8
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SILVER AND CHINA.
For ordinary use at the dinner tables of two hundred years ago, pewter plates and platters served the family. They varied in price. Upon a bill of sale we find that a pewter platter brought four shillings and sixpence (English). Another, at the same sale, brought seven shillings and sixpence. Six pewter plates sold for nine shillings and ninepence ; an earthen dish for three shil- lings and ninepence.
At the appraisement of the property of an old inhab- itant, Peter Lefferts, born 1680, we find that the value of his table service of dishes and plates was as follows :
£ s. d.
Twenty-five pewter plates 1 5 0
Thirty-seven earthen plates.
0 10 0
Nine pewter dishes. 1 16 0
Eight earthen dishes
1 0 0
Six setts china cups and saucers. 3 0 0
Twenty-seven Delft plates. 0 13 6
We find by an appraisement, made 1714, in a neigh- boring town, that one china dish and cup were valued at seven shillings and sixpence, and one pewter dish at five shillings. From these prices we infer that the plates and dishes in daily use were not very expensive, although the sums given implied a greater relative amount of wealth than the same sums would at the present day.
Tall china vases were very frequently the ornaments of the mantel-piece. Some of these which have been preserved are now very valuable.
They were generally of dark blue, or of white ware ornamented in various ways. The antiquarian or the learned in ceramics would be delighted with many a tall vase which we remember to have seen consigned
120
THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
to the kitchen, or, hidden in upper shelves, disappear for ever in that mysterious manner which inanimate matter seems to have the gift of doing when not closely watched. These tall vases were sometimes cylindrical and without covers, at other times they were more curved and swelling in their outlines, with dragons at the handles and on the cover. Sometimes five of these vases constituted a set, or if they were large there were but three.
It is to be regretted that so few of these china jars have outlasted the changes of fashion, as they were un- doubtedly of more value than many of the mantel orna- ments by which they were displaced.
CHAPTER XIV.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND PICTURES.
WE have no knowledge as to the musical taste of the early colonists. It is doubtful if it was developed in any direction except that of church psalmody ; even their best efforts in that line would probably have not been considered a success by the connoisseurs of this day. In the silver-tipped Psalm-books, which they car- ried to church every Sunday, the words were interlined with quaint-looking bars of musical notes, from which they sang.
Legends and traditions place the violin in the hands of the negro, and tell how the children gathered around him in the summer evening or the winter " schemer- avond " (twilight) to listen to the tones which he drew from its strings.
When we come down to Revolutionary days, we have authority for a band of music in the town, but that was not native talent or property. The young people danced to the band of the regiment, and the pretty girl who was selected by Ethan Allen as his part- ner in the dance transmitted the knowledge of that fact
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
to her grandchildren, and with it the very natural opinion that the music on the occasion was the best in the world. How much an opinion given under such circumstances is worth we do not venture to decide.
In a number of the "Daily Advertiser," New York, dated Saturday, May 10, 1788, we find the following ad- vertisement :
Jacob Astor, No. 81 Queen Street,
Has just imported an elegant assortment of PIANO-FORTES, which he will sell on reasonable terms.
He also buys and sells for cash all kinds of furs.
We do not cite this as a proof that " piano-fortes " were numerous in our village at this period, but, as the full cup overflows, so we may conjecture that the ad- joining towns were not entirely without these instru- ments if Mr. Jacob Astor could offer such an elegant assortment on reasonable terms.
While exploring in childhood the recesses of an old garret, we found under the eaves the dilapidated remains of what was once a harpsichord. It was larger than the melodeons in present use, and resembled them some- what in general appearance, except that it was a stringed instrument.
We find in an old newspaper, printed in 1773, the following advertisement :
John Sheybli, Horse and Cart Street, New York, makes, repairs, and tunes all sorts of organs, harpsichords, spinnets, and forte-pianos on the most reasonable terms.
The sparsely settled miles between Horse and Cart
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MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND PICTURES.
-
Street, New York, and the little town at the foot of the hills beyond Breukelin, must have made a jour- ney which might well have deterred Mr. Sheybli when called upon to tune the spinets there " upon reasonable terms."
It is probable that there were but few instruments in Flatbush. The ivory keys of this one were yellow and loose, and, as with childish fingers we ran over the scale, the keys rattled to the touch without a sound, save as one or two, still connected by a rusty wire, jingled and vibrated in most unmusical sibilant echoes. The fingers that once brought melody from these time- stained keys have been motionless for more than ninety years. It almost seems as if no musical sound should linger upon the broken strings, when it was written upon her tombstone who once sang to the accompani- ment of these notes that she died August 30, 1786, aged twenty-four years.
There were pianos in Flatbush about 1812, if not earlier. We speak from knowledge of one which we re- member to have seen in its old age. It was scarcely six octaves in length, and had a spindling, attenuated appearance, arising from the shallowness of the body and the thin gilded legs. On the front, above the key-board, were inscribed the name and residence of the maker, "Geib, New York"; this was surrounded with a wreath of painted rosebuds.
A drawer to hold music opened below the body of the instrument. It is needless to say that no great vol- ume of sound was produced from these pianos, and that their notes were thin and weak. ,
The price of this instrument we are enabled to give, as the bill has been preserved.
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
Mr. L -. TO JOHN GEIB & SON, Dr. 1812. Sept. 19.
To an Elegant patent Piano-forte with drawers and two pedals. $270 00
$270 00
Received payment,
JOHN GEIB & SON.
To show what money it cost to take lessons in music seventy years ago, we copy the following from the "New York Weekly Museum," of March, 1809 :
LESSONS ON THE PIANO-FORTE. Frederick W. Dannenberg
Proposes to give Lessons on the Piano-forte, at his residence, No. 60 Maiden Lane, on the following
Terms.
1. To enable him to pay the utmost attention to the pro- gress of his Pupils, he will engage with only twelve scholars.
2. Six scholars to form a class, and to be taught at a time.
3. Each class to receive their lessons twice a week, from 10 A. M. to 1 P. M.
4. Each class to consist of scholars of equal capacity, so as to render the instructions in their progress equally beneficial to all. Terms, $12.50 cents per quarter for each scholar.
A musical instrument maker from London advertises that he makes and repairs "all sorts of violins, tenors, base violins, guitars, kitts, mute violins, æolian harps, spinnets, and spinnet-jacks."
The "New York Gazette" of the same year (17772) also sets forth that a maker from Philadelphia " makes and repairs all kinds of organs, spinnets, harpsichords, and pianos." But this man apparently had no shop in
125
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND PICTURES.
New York, for, to use the words of his advertisement, " he is to be spoke with at Mr. Samuel Prince's, Cabi- net Maker, at the sign of the Chest of Drawers in New York." He concludes his advertisement with a post- script to the effect that he makes "hammer spinnets that never wants quilling as other spinnets do."
PAINTINGS.
It is doubtful if there were any works of art worthy of the name in Flatbush for many years after its settle- ment.
Family traditions tell us that some of the old houses burned down in the Battle of Long Island con- tained oil paintings which had been sent from Hol- land ; how valuable these were there is no means of knowing.
There were at one time in the village many small pictures on glass ; these were of dark colors, and have been in possession of the families who own them for very many years. They are, however, more valuable as relics than for their skillful workmanship. The glass seems to be gradually scaling off, and, as the painting is upon the glass, the pictures are slowly disappearing.
We know of one miniature painted about 1780, and there are others of more or less value ; but we have seen none which are worthy of mention as works of art.
In a number of the "Daily Advertiser " for 1788, we find that an artist of that day in New York was not above advertising his skill. We would draw attention to the fact that he, singularly enough, offers to "take back the likenesses should they not meet with approval." Remembering some old, stiff portraits, we wonder that such permission was not taken advantage of :
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
A MINIATURE PAINTER,
Lately arrived from France,
Presents his respects to his friends and the public in general, and informs them that he draws likenesses of ladies and gentle- men at the lowest price, and engages the painting to be equal to any in Europe. Should the likeness not be approved of after drawing, it will be taken back.
This artist gives his residence as "42 Hanover Square, opposite Mr. Peter Goelet's."
On inquiry we gain traces of portraits which have been lost through the lapse of time, and pictures which have been destroyed ; but there are none old enough to be valuable as relics or worthy of notice.
CHAPTER XV.
DRESS.
OF this chapter on dress we must say, as we did of that on furniture, that we describe nothing peculiar to this locality ; it is the fashion of the period, and not of the Dutch people, which we here attempt to portray.
DRESS OF GENTLEMEN.
The dress of gentlemen about the year 1770 was in the style with which we have been made familiar by the pictures of General Washington. In full dress, gentle- men appeared in long coats, often of a light color, vel- vet breeches, silk stockings, and knee-buckles ; they wore low shoes, which were fastened with shoe-buckles. The hair was powdered and tied in a queue. Some of these knee-buckles and shoe-buckles are still preserved in Flatbush, as also some other portions of a dress of this style.
We find a tailor's advertisement in the "New York Gazetteer" for May 13, 1773, which glitters like a rain- bow. Behold what is offered as the fashionable spring colors for gentlemen :
A general assortment of scarlet, buff, blue, green, crimson, white, sky-blue, and other colored superfine cloths.
Superfine scarlet, buff, sky-blue, garnet, and green cassi- mirs.
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
Superfine Genoa velvets; striped velverets for breeches of all colors. . . .
A neat assortment of gold and silver lace, gold and silver spangle buttons; gold buttons with loops and bands; silver- ground gold brocade for hats. . . .
Any gentleman that chooses to have his buttons made of the same cloth can have them worked with pearl and spangles, with any sprig or flower he may choose, as neat as those made in London.
All these elegant things are offered for sale by John Laboyteaux at his fashionable establishment at Beek- man's Slip.
We can not say if our Flatbush ancestors were rowed in a small boat over the ferry to purchase any of these flashy dresses, for, if they ever owned such finery, it has as entirely disappeared as the rainbows of that summer.
The hats worn at this period by gentlemen were cocked hats. In the same newspaper a hatter advertises his stock as excelling all others in " ent, color, and cock."
If we may judge from the advertisement of a fash- ionable tailor at the corner of Wall Street, in the year 1773, the vests worn by gentlemen in full dress must have been showy. He offers for sale a " curious assort- ment of vest patterns," such as :
White and buff tambour embroidered cassamar.
White silk, embroidered with gold.
White silk,
silver.
White satin,
gold.
White satin,
silver, etc.
Since gentlemen assumed the style at present worn they have only varied their dress slightly. Sometimes the coat-collar has been cut to stand higher in the neck or to roll farther back ; the waist has been made shorter
129
DRESS.
or longer, or a button has changed its place here and there ; otherwise there has been no perceptible differ- ence in the dress of gentlemen for many years.
For a long time it was considered very foppish and undignified to wear a beard. A mustache allowed to grow was the sign of a dandy ; a gentleman must be smoothly shaven, unless he chose to be looked upon as foppish or eccentric. A full beard was never seen in the pulpit, never in general society, except when worn by foreigners or those aping foreign manners and customs.
Incredible as this seems, now that gentlemen allow their beards to grow as nature intended, yet it is true that an elderly gentleman some thirty years ago would not have appeared in church or in the street unless he was fresh from the process of shaving. It would have been the subject of censure from the consistory had the clergy appeared in the pulpit as they do now with whiskers, mustache, or beard.
We have Richard Grant White for authority in say- ing that "from 1700 to 1825 the appearance of a beard on any part of an Englishman's or an American's face was, strangely enough, so rare as to be regarded as a monstrosity."
DRESS OF LADIES.
At the early settlement of Long Island it is proba- ble that the short gowns and petticoats of our great- great-grandmothers were made of material spun and woven in the family. Durability rather than beauty was the chief consideration in preparing the cloth. They were fond of gay colors, and, as they were not confined to somber hues because of the simplicity of their dress, bright red and dark blue must have given a pictu- resque effect to their costume.
9
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
Up to the time of the War of the Revolution the ordinary dress of the women when engaged in their household duties was a short gown and petticoat, of a color and material to suit the taste of the wearer.
The full dress of that period was that which is seen in representations of the costume of Mrs. Washington. There are some dresses of this style in Flatbush, still preserved by those whose ancestors wore them about ninety years ago. One of these dresses, worn as a bridal dress, August 7, 1780, is a fawn-colored satin-damask, without a train, and open in front; it was worn with a blue satin-damask petticoat. The vest of the bride- groom was made from the same piece of blue satin-da- mask. The sleeves of the bride's dress reached to the elbow, and were probably trimmed with a deep ruffle of lace falling over the arm. Another of these dresses of the same age is of silk, embroidered, and with a train.
After that style of dress, also well known through the pictures of Mrs. Washington, had passed out of fashion, it was followed by another, its opposite in almost every respect ; the ladies of the next generation wore absurdly short waists and scant skirts. This French fashion did not retain its hold upon the taste of the ladies as did that which had preceded it.
There are some of these scant, short-waisted dresses still preserved by the descendants of those who had worn them in the early part of this century.
After this, dating from 1825 or thereabouts, a more simple style of dress came into general use. The skirt and waist were united, forming one garment ; this was called a frock, a word which has almost passed into dis- use, except that in a gentleman's dress it is used to des- ignate the garment called a "frock coat." At this date,
131
DRESS.
also, there was a marked difference in the dress of young people and of elderly people.
Old ladies wore silver-rimmed, round-eyed specta- cles, and Swiss-muslin caps, with narrow borders neatly crimped. A white lawn kerchief was crossed over the breast, with a black silk one neatly folded above it. They wore plain skirts without tucks, flounces, or trains, and by their simple and unostentatious garb impressed the beholder with the idea of a serene and placid old age. That they showed no wish to adopt a youthful dress seemed significant of a peaceful acknowledgment of the age they had reached, with no frivolous longing for the youthful pleasures unsuited to their years. Their old age was not one of idleness ; every moment not other- wise occupied was employed in knitting ; this work was always close at hand, and the needles moved briskly and mechanically without the necessity of watching them. A knitting sheath was used by these old ladies, pinned at the waist, and their method of holding their needles differed from that of the knitting of the present time in the use of this knitting sheath. A remnant of the style of a bygone age also remained in the round, ball- like pincushion which hung suspended at the side, un- less they were dressed for visiting or for church-going.
Perhaps we credit these old ladies with a simplicity of dress which was, after all, nearly as much the fashion of the period as their own peculiar selection, for the dress worn by ladies of whatever age was more simple fifty years ago than it is to-day. New dresses were not so frequently purchased, and, as fashions did not vary so constantly, an expensive dress could be worn longer without getting to be out of fashion.
The ordinary dress of a lady in her own home was
132
THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
not as costly as it is now, because, being simpler, it required less material, and, as it was less elaborately trimmed, it did not require so much of a dressmaker's time ; consequently a lady could be tastefully and pret- tily dressed at much less expense. This is going back some thirty or forty years ; at that period the vari- ations in the style of dress were for a long time very slight. Sometimes a belt was worn in the dress, some- times it was a bodice ; for one season the sleeve was loose and flowing, the next it was tightly fitting ; the bishop sleeve was adopted in one year, and the "leg of mutton " in the next. This name had reference to the shape, which fitted closely to the arm from the wrist to the elbow ; above the elbow it puffed out, and was sus- tained in this form either by stiff muslin or by down undersleeves. These large down or feather undersleeves, fastened in the armholes of the dress, were very warm and uncomfortable.
For young ladies, the dress was then worn low in the neck ; a round or a pointed cape of the same material as the dress was worn with it if needed. The waist was always buttoned or hooked up at the back. The intri- cacies of overskirts had not yet been adopted, except in thin material worn as ball-dresses. The skirts of the walking-dresses were not gored, but were worn full, of- ten without trimming. A dress could be made by one person without a sewing-machine in one day ; some- times assistance was given by the young ladies in the family, but, even without it, it was not unusual for the entire dress to be completed between the hours of 7 A. M. and 6 p. M. Sometimes the skirt was tucked, or folds were laid on it, or it had ruffles upon it, or it was flounced up to the hips ; such dresses of course required
133
DRESS.
more time in the making. Bows of the same material or of ribbon were worn, or any other ornament, to vary the skirt ; but the weighty overskirt of heavy material, with its tight tieback, interfering with the free motion of the limbs, is an invention of a later day. Anything more entangling and illy adapted to free and easy move- ment than this it would be difficult to suggest. Upon every style of sleeve except the "bishop " and the "leg
of mutton " a cap was worn. It was of the same mate- rial as the dress ; sometimes it reached from the arm- hole, into which it was sewed with the sleeve, nearly to the elbow ; generally it was three or four inches in length, and was trimmed to match the skirt. This fin- ish to the sleeve has been so long out of date that now it seems useless, but, undoubtedly, it was introduced . because young ladies often wore short sleeves, and by this device the long sleeve could be ripped out, and the cap, which remained, formed a short sleeve complete in itself.
The custom of wearing low-necked dresses and short sleeves was very common with children; their froeks were always worn thus. Little girls, those who were such between 1825 and 1845, wore very short dresses and long pantalettes reaching below their ankles. Infants appeared with bare neck and bare arms. They were very lovely, and the child looked much prettier ; but this fashion began at last to be carried to such an unhealthy extent that the evil corrected itself, and children are now more comfortably and healthfully attired in long- sleeved and high-necked dresses. Proud mothers, anxious to exhibit the fair white necks and dimpled shoulders of their little ones, often made their dresses so low that the wonder was how the child ever kept the dress on. They
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
seemed almost able to slip out of the bit of garment altogether, had it not been tied on at the waist by a sash, which, in its amplitude, seemed broader and larger than the dress itself. This was carried to such an extreme by foolish mothers that infants often seemed smaller than the huge sash-bow to which, apparently, they were tied.
Some thirty years ago, infants always wore caps with a lace ruffle surrounding the face. This was a pretty and a becoming fashion. There is no style of dress so unnatural and unhealthy but there are found some fool- ish women who accept it, and it is a sad truth that many fond but weak mothers have sacrificed the health and strength of their little ones to some of these foolish fashions.
We claim for the present style of dressing children in moderately long dresses without tieback or sash, high at the neck and with sleeves reaching to the wrist, that it is the most sensible fashion which parents have ever adopted. Let us hope it may long continue, and that we may have healthier girls and boys, and stronger men and women, in the next generation.
The corsets worn by the ladies of the present day are certainly an improvement as to health and comfort upon the "stays" which were worn by the ladies a hundred years ago, and, strange to say, were worn also by children. An advertisement of a stay-maker in an old paper is so curious that we copy it in confirmation of our statement as to the article being worn in 1772 by children :
JOHN BURCHETT, From London and Paris,
Takes this method to inform the ladies and the publick in gen- eral that he has removed to Burling's Slip at the sign of the
135
DRESS.
Crown and Stays, where he makes all sorts of stays, jumps, packthread, turned and single; likewise children's stays (to give and preserve a shape truly perfect, and not drooping or falling in before) in the neatest and newest fashions. He has also a number of good ready-made stays of the best quality, cheaper than can be imported, prices from ten shillings to five pounds, and by a system to himself to exceed in fineness and quality. Farther, said Burchett will take from any lady who shall employ him half cash for stays and the rest in dry goods. He also re- turns his most hearty thanks to all who have countenanced him with their esteem, tho' undeserved ; but for the future will use all possible endeavors to merit their interest, and as he has obtained a certificate from the Queen's stay-maker, London, he flatters himself fully capable to satisfy any ladies who shall please to favor him with their commands.
A dress-maker was called formerly a mantua-maker. The dictionary gives the meaning of the word mantua as "a gown or dress worn by females." As no part of the dress of the present day is so called, the change of name has followed both the maker and the thing made.
We here insert a genuine bill of a mantua-maker of seventy years ago :
Mrs. - Dr. to JANE WHITE : £ s. d.
For cuting and making three frocks, 98 090
For cuting and making two frocks 040
For cuting two under coats.
[Illegible] 030
020
Two pair wooling stockings 070
For cuting and making a great coat. 040
190
As we read the descriptions accompanying the fash- ion plates of the present day, or if we turn to the maga-
136
THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
zines which furnish the names of the material for the latest style of ladies' dresses, the variety of goods in the market seems almost incredible. But the ladies of the olden time were certainly not the less favored as to variety in their choice of material. We do not recognize the goods comprised in the following list, but we copy it as advertised under the head of "India Goods," of- fered for sale by the firm of Francis Lewis & Son, "near the Fly Market," New York (1775). We copy the advertiser's list :
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