Dressed to Kill, Dressed to Till
A hooded and caped cloak or "cardinal" of scarlet broadcloth owned by Mary Pierson Rose (1769-1830) of Suffolk County, Long Island. The cape body is 52 inches in length at center back at neck seam and 49 in. L on front edges, while the fall-down, scalloped cape is 6 ¼ inches L at the same point. There is a hook and eye closure at the neck. All edges are left “raw” or unfinished. The attached, closed hood is 13 ½ in. L at backseam, 12 ½ deep at top, and is 16 ½ inches long in front. The cloak, which forms an approximate half-circle laid out, measures 188 inches in circumference. It is made of cut and fitted sections of plainweave, woolen broadcloth (58 inches width from selvedge to selvedge). The cape fronts have innerfacings running their full length and of 4-inch breadth, of a pinkish-red, glazed plainweave worsted, while the front edges of the cloak, arm slit welts, cape and hood were all trimmed with a one inch-wide, scarlet and gold passementerie braid of silk and linen, now frayed and fragmented. The upper seven inches of the hood backseam was resewn, suggesting that the gathered back of 18th c. style was altered in the early 19th century; there are also traces remaining of a buff or gold-colored silk lining along the altered seam; traces of red bays remain sewn to the worsted innerfacings, suggesting that the upper body was probably lined with such at the same time. Mary Pierson was born in Bridgehampton, married surveyor and mill owner Abraham Rose of Southampton (who as a militia general in the War of 1812, successfully defended Sag Harbor from British incursions). Provenance: While owned by a descendant, Mrs. John B. Brown, this cloak was on loan to the DAR and the Southampton Historical Society, whose loan labels remain in the cloak; South Bay Auctions 1995 estate sale; thence to Don Troiani, from whom acquired in 2015. With paperwork.
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