Corduroy's usage in our period?

[jigadier brindle]

Comrades,
I know this topic has been discussed a few times, but never have I seen any discussion as to what "social class" so to speak of America during, and leading up to our period would have worn corduroy. From what documentation exists, I understand corduroy was used in trousers, sack coats, vests and so on, but what type of person was wearing this? Any information anyone could offer would be greatly appreciated.


-Nicholas Redding

[Jack Booda]

Re: Corduroy's usage in our period?

I second this request for information.

So far I've only been able to confirm corduroy used for an enclosed riding habit for ladies. But this reference does not mention any sizing of the wales. Also, I can't find any pre Civil War listings for makers or importers.

Surely this material was widely available and popular enough to be used for men's sack coats or vests?

Has Vicki Betts found any "sale prices" on corduroy in her newspaper articles? Has Linda or Hank Trent found any corduroy originals in their civilian travels?

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Corduroy's usage in our period?

Lynn Bull in Goldsboro NC has some experience with corduroy and it's usage.

He made a great vest for my dad (and others) years ago from a commercially bought but Ben Tart dyed pinwale, BUT I DO NOT KNOW THE PROVENANCE.

Please do not take this post as an endorsement of this textile or weave until some more knowledgeable cloth folks weigh in with their pros & cons.

[Matthew.Rector]

Re: Corduroy's usage in our period?

I ran across this and thought it may prove useful for further research. While not a reference to the mid nineteenth century use of corduroy, I found a reference concerning its use in the late 1700s. The book Seedtime on the Cumberland is a good history of the settling of southern Kentucky and Middle Tennessee up to the beginning of the nineteenth century.
In Chapter 13, while on the subject of bib overalls, the author states:
"One could by the mid-[17]nineties buy them in East Tennessee at the general store, and they, too, were sometimes brightly colored and often made of corduroy."
Page 354
Seedtime on the Cumberland
by Harriette Simpson Arnow
University of Nebraska Press (Introduction 1995)
1960 ISBN 0-8032-5926-3

This particular sentenced has a footnote: Tennessee Historical Magazine, V, pp. 173-176.

So around 1800, some 60 years before the War, the author suggests that laborers were wearing corduroy bibs. So at that time was corduroy a cloth of all classes or just for laborers? Just from this sentence alone I cannot say, but hope that the info above may help some. Perhaps someone else can fill us in more.

I am uncertain if this helps or not but I submit it as an example for the Civil War period. In the famous photograph, "Confederate boy, age 14, lies dead outside bomb proof in trenches of Fort Mahone", the subject is wearing a corduroy vest. How he came to wear this, no one can say probably. I've attached a detail of the photograph so you can see the wale. Now I realize that this photograph has probably been discussed before so I won't go into any more observations.

I've submitted a detail of this stereoview located in the Library of Congress collection
and a detail close-up of his vest.

TITLE: Confederate boy, age 14, lies dead outside bomb proof in trenches of Fort Mahone
CALL NUMBER: LOT 4168 [P&P]
REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8184-3187 (b&w film copy neg.)
LC-USZ62-117567 (b&w film copy neg.)
MEDIUM: 1 photographic print on stereo card : stereograph.
CREATED/PUBLISHED: New York : published by E. & H.T. Anthony Co., 1865 Apr. 12.
NOTES:
No. 3187.
Copyright by E. & H.T. Anthony Co.
Photographic history, the war for the Union.
REPOSITORY: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
DIGITAL ID: (b&w film copy neg.) cph 3c17567 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c17567
CARD #: 97500796

[markmason]

Re: Corduroy's usage in our period?

I apologize for not having the particulars in front of me at the moment but, I do have documented the 84th Indiana was issued corduroy trousers while building and working on Ft. Granger in Tenn. The research allowed us to incorporate this into our living history last spring.

Hopefully others may post some of this information for you.

[Jack Booda]

Re: Corduroy's usage in our period?

Found the following on Vicki Betts' wonderful website, still looking for some readymade items:

CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE, April l8, 1862, p. 2, c. 7

Field, Benedict & Co.,
34 & 36 Lake Street,
Are now opening a large and well assorted stock of
Cloths, Cassimeres,
And Vestings,
Together with all the various styles of Goods for Men's Wear, such as

Cordoroys, [sic] Satinets,
Moleskins, Cottonades,
Velveteens, F. and M. Cass,
Planters' Drills, Queens Cloth,
Planters' Ducks, Span'h Linens,
Merino Cass, Drap D'Etat,
Kentucky Jeans Ital'n Cloths
Fancy Linens Tweeds
You will always find in our assortment all the desirable styles in the market, which will be sold at satisfactory prices. A full stock of Tailors' Trimmings always on hand.

[Matthew.Rector]

Re: Corduroy's usage in our period?

Comrades,
I know this topic has been discussed a few times, but never have I seen any discussion as to what "social class" so to speak of America during, and leading up to our period would have worn corduroy. From what documentation exists, I understand corduroy was used in trousers, sack coats, vests and so on, but what type of person was wearing this? Any information anyone could offer would be greatly appreciated.
-Nicholas Redding

This does not really help answer the question at hand, however it was brought up. Some Union troops were issued corduroy trousers. Check out the thread:

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=119&referrerid=131

In that thread I posted a photo, that someone had previously posted on the old AC Forum, of a Federal soldier wearing corduroy trousers.
To my knowledge, the photo is not identified as anyone in particular-so we don’t know of what social class he might have belonged or the circumstances surrounding his trousers.

[Justin Runyon]

Re: Corduroy's usage in our period?

As I recall the returns from the 84th IN listed X number of pairs of "Dark corduroy trousers for fatigue use"

Also am attempting to post the photograph Rector mentioned in an earlier post.

[Company Tailor]

Re: Corduroy's usage in our period?

I had always been under the impression that cords were just for the laboring man until I ran across a black three piece buisness suit firmly identified and dated to the early 1850's at a relic show in Philadelphia. There's also a fairly well known photo of an officer in Mexico in the early 1850's wearing a very nice smock of what certainly appears to be a very fine corduroy.

Food for thought.

Cheers.