Men's Waistcoat
Period1830 - 1850
Date1830-1850
MediumBlack silk, linen lining. Chamois leather lining panels left and right, front inside edges. Glazed brown cotton back and collar facing.
Dimensions21 in. (53.3 cm)
ClassificationsCostume, Men's
Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. Henry G. Gulick, 2017
Object number2017.2.24
DescriptionMan's waistcoat. Black silk front, heavily padded across chest. Shawl collar with six button closure. Two front hip pockets. One small breast pocket, proper left. Back of glazed dark brown cotton with steel buckle tab adjustment. Full inner lining of glazed tan cotton with narrow chamois leather facings at hips.Curatorial RemarksThis waistcoat seems to have been Dr. George Harrison Wikoff's favorite, judging from the wear on the inside of the garment. 19th century physicians dressed formally for office hours and house calls, both to reflect their status as doctors and to acknowledge the seriousness of the doctor-patient interaction.NotesThis elegant waistcoat was worn by George Harrison Wikoff. Born in 1806 in Philadelphia, Wikoff attended the College of New Jersey and became a physician. He married Louisa Schureman in 1836 in Middletown, Monmouth County, New Jersey. The couple had three children: Julia (b. 1838), Isabella (b. 1840), and Frederick (b. 1846). George Wikoff died at the age of 48 on December 15, 1854.
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