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Post by Rusty Ayers on Jan 21, 2003 16:27:29 GMT -5
What are those upper-body garments they are wearing? I would have thought they would be wearing overshirts as are seen in so many of the california 49er paintings, but those look very much like coats. Just goes to show you how you need to be careful when making broad generalizations (as I did) -- the outerwear of an underground miner appears to be quite different from that of the above-ground californians...
Assuming the guy who did the original drawing knew what he was talking about and didn't just conjecture based on somebody else's oral/written description of lead mining.
Cliff, you are quite a dashing fellow, with a kind of Tom Wolfe air. Is that the Black Hawk painting at the Chicago Historical Society?
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Chris Gordy
Junior Member
"Can I hold the gun to the side? It looks so cool."
Posts: 89
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Post by Chris Gordy on Feb 13, 2003 8:53:29 GMT -5
The hats used in the 1844 scene were commonly known as "Farmers Favorites" during the 1840s. The upper garments they are wearing appear to be frock coats. Some might say that a frock coat may not protect you against the environment of a lead mine. However, frock coats were made of just about every material available including cassinet, sattinet and dreadnaught. These materials would offer enough protection and insulation.
The cone shaped hats seen in the late 1850s scene could very well be the paper workman's hat. They are shaped in the same way. As far as leather hats . . . they can be purchased at any store as is listed in advertisements. However, the topped miner's hat is interesting. I wonder when they came about?
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Post by Robert Braun on Feb 13, 2003 9:03:49 GMT -5
Returning to the Harper's illustration, I see waistcoats, shirts with sleeves rolled up, and possibly folded mecanic's or even the folded "fore and aft" chapeau-style paper caps. Laurel has uncovered a reference to the latter folded paper cap worn at a militia muster in 1835!!  Bob. |
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Chris Gordy
Junior Member
"Can I hold the gun to the side? It looks so cool."
Posts: 89
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Post by Chris Gordy on Feb 13, 2003 9:13:03 GMT -5
I see the same thing. I'm leaning more towards the paper cap though. But . . . . paper cap worn at a militia muster in 1835!!!!! That's pretty awesome! I want to see that one.
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Post by Robert Braun on Mar 21, 2003 15:30:19 GMT -5
I think the "militiamen" were boys...
In the summer of 1834, while I was living with bro. Stephen, the boys got up a large company and chose their officers. At the first meeting they made me Capt. …and as I now remember it, I think it was a nice looking company. We all had paper hats, made after the style of the "Napoleon cap." The officers had made theirs from thick white paper, with much gilt paper for theornamentation, long tassels suspended from each corner of the cap, and a paper cockade quite prominent in the center.
- Austin T. Foster, "A Grandfather Reminisces: 1822-1900"
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