Crewel embroidered linen pocket Pennsylvania, 1740-1770

With cotton and linen binding

Inscribed each side of opening, near top, thread: S I/ M F

Sotheby Parke-Bernet, October 24-25, 1986, lot 147

"Women Only: Folk Art by Female Hands," New York, American Folk Art Museum, April 6-September 12, 2010

American Radiance: The Ralph Esmerian Gift to the American Folk Art Museum, p. 302, fig. 263

Some discoloration and wear; minor wool thread loss.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

During the eighteenth century, the term "pocket" referred to a flat pouch, with a slit in the front for access, that was tied around a woman's waist. Pockets were worn either over a dress or under an overskirt, where they could be easily reached. Usually one pocket was sufficient, though they could be worn in pairs. Because eighteenth century fashion dictated an exaggeratedly wide profile at the hips, the extra bulk added by the pocket was incidental.¹Although pockets continued to be worn well into the nineteenth century in some areas, as fashions slimmed with the vogue for everything classical, small bags known as reticules became more popular.

Eighteenth-century women used pockets much as purses are used today, to house the items they found necessary to hold close during the day, such as keys, papers, pins, scissors, and other odds and ends. Pockets often received fine needlework embellishment, such as the crewel embroidery evident on this example. American crewelwork, in general, favored fewer stitches than its English counterparts, and this pocket is worked in cross, chain, and outline stitches.² -S.C.H.

¹ My gratitude to Linda Baumgarten, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, for her comments regarding the date of this pocket.

²  Information based on Yolanda van de Krol, "Ladies' Pockets," The Magazine Antiques 149, no. 3 (March 1996): 438-45.