Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Our March Show Continues through April

We decorated our new poster (at Left) with an old display ad we found in the November 1912 Sherwood News-Sheet. We only had to change the quaintly out-of-fashion wording a little for our Museum show. The original wording is as follows:

Cut the High Cost of Living

We have cut the cost of high living--as far as good clothes are concerned. You can secure here the very finest of made-to-measure suits or overcoats at 5 to 20 per cent less than you can possibly get through any other channel. Proof? Call and look over the International Fall display of styles and fabrics and compare the prices for yourself. By way of interest see the values we offer at 15, 20 and 25 dollars--elsewhere they'd cost--well judge for yourself.

McConnell & Hall General Merchandise

Historical Society President Polly adds: "On Tuesday, April 14 at 1:45 a.m. we are hosting a program by Susan Hall, collector, historian, seamstress, and milliner, who will share her 40 year love affair with vintage clothing. Her show will highlight accessories such as handbags, gloves, and parasols. The program will be in our upstairs classroom in the Museum. Bring your friends. It's free."

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cute Poster!!

Anonymous said...

Thank you! Now click on the "McConnell & Hall General Store" words and see how lovely the actual store was!

Lilly Morgen said...

Our next next show is next next Sat at the museum: "Picturing America:" from the National Endowment for the Humanities in Wash. D.C. Each picture features the best of history's fine art. With it for this show is a description of how that picture fits in to the Sherwood experience.
Picturing America Feb. 7 1:00-4:00 with a lecture at 2:30.

Anonymous said...

Ooops. Sorry. The blogmeister will have to change that.

Anonymous said...

What is a parasol? I've never heard of it. Anne s.

Anonymous said...

Does that man have a purse. Did men have purses in the olden days?

Katy Y.

JayCeeSmock said...

My dear young lady Anne! You would be hopelessly out of date in Sherwood 100 years ago. Every girl carried a parasol, for the same reason that every girl kept her hat in place with a hat-pin. It was a ready weapon against too-adventurous gentlemen. Please find a skit about a parasol on our neighboring blog:

http://sherwoodheritagetrail.blogspot.com

This is in regards to a certain gentleman named Mr. Roberts.

JayCeeSmock said...

"Does the man carry a purse?"

Oh dear! I had not noticed that detail. You can be certain I never sported such an accessory as that in my day! Especially when here in Sherwood you had to deal with men in buckskin who would shoot the heels off any gentleman who dressed the way the guy in this advertisement does.

We will need to call on Lilly Morgen to explain and clarify the purse issue.

Lilly Morgen said...

Oh, indeed. These folks, from the turn of the century, (1900)look to me as if they are touring (in a touring automobile) or they are on their way on a European cruise on a ship. Perhaps this is the gent's passport folio or perhaps his tobacco bag. Those are two possibilities.Most men in those days would also have a money belt strapped on their chest if they were doing some serious traveling. My Great Grandfather, Julius Joseph Weisenback had one that he wore from St. Louis to Portland on the train.

Anonymous said...

Why did the lady wear that big hat?

Anne
W.

Anonymous said...

Why does the man have a stick?

curtis

Anonymous said...

Gentlemen's fashion for a certain period, especially high society fashion, included a cane or "walking stick." For more information see:
http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/
masonicmuseum/walking_stick_
history.htm

The lady wore a hat with a large brim because it would protect her delicate skin from the sun. Tan skin was not "in fashion" then, but pale, delicate skin was. The large hat would also protct her somewhat from the dust and dirt of traveling. For more information on vintage hat fashions, see:
http://www.vintagefashionguild.
org/content/view/604/55/

JayCeeSmock said...

Gentlemen always carried walking sticks until one particular day in London when someone wrote a letter to the London newspaper explaining that a man carrying a walking stick is like a cave man carrying a club to hit people with in prehistoric times. The letter became so famous that no one wanted to be seen with a walking stick anymore.

Anonymous said...

Why did things cost so much?

Tad and james

JayCeeSmock said...

Oh yes, life in Old Sherwood Town was expensive. A Big Mack (whatever they called it back then) would cost you no more than a Quarter. You could buy one whole block of the Nine blocks of Old Sherwood Town for around $500. When cars came out, you could buy the latest model for less than $1000. It's too bad you can't go back then. You'd clean up big time with your allowance!

Lilly Morgen said...

I thought those big red and black Mackanaw coats were about $4.50. Of course maybe the coat you talk about didn't have a lambskin lining.

Blog Archive

Things for Sale at the Museum

A Place in Time by June Reynolds

History Book $30
Christmas Chair by June Reynolds

Reynolds Fiction $12
Heritage Trail Guide by Clyde List
Trail Guide $5
The Folks CD
The Folks $7
Sherwood Centennial Cook Book
Cook Book $7.50
Renaissance Singers CD
Renaissance Singers $15
Melody Guy CD

Melody Guy

The Sherwood Heritage Center is a project of the Sherwood Historical Society