Unusual Artifacts: Harry Randall's Dressing Case, 1840-60

Dressing Case of Harry Randall
1840-60
This and all related images from the
Victoria & Albert Museum

This dressing case was used by the leading music hall comic and “pantomime dame” Harry Randall (1860-1932) as a make-up box. The fine quality of the box and its handsome fittings mark of the status that Randall reached as a performer. Curiously, this was the only personal possession of Harry Randall's that was preserved by his family.

Randall's first professional appearance was in 1884 at Deacon's Music Hall in Islington. He was very close friends with champion dancer Dan Leno and, like Leno, Randall became known for his comedy character songs and his pantomime dames, several of which he performed in pantomimes with Leno. He became so well known that his name was used in the rhyming slang for 'candles' which became known as “Harry Randalls,” or simply “Harrys.”

The wooden dressing case boats inlaid brass edging to the lid and sides. The lid of the box is lined with ruched and padded blue velvet, around which there is a dark blue leather border stamped with a gilt foliate pattern.


The box contains a removable wooden tray divided into six compartments, three of the compartments are lined with blue leather; two with pads of blue velvet and one without lining but with a wooden lid with a silver knob.



The tray contains a wooden lidded compartment, two small round glass jars with silver lids, a long glass tray with a pierced and chased silver lid and a compartment with indentations for tweezers, a corkscrew, a button hook, an awl, manicure scissors and a nail file with a mother-of-pearl handle. The main body of the dressing case has four deep compartments, three containing silver-lidded jars, and one empty with a wooden lid with a silver knob, similar to the wooden lid in the tray but not the same size.


The case was made in London between 1840-1860 by J.J. Mechi. It is marked:

'No.4 LEADENHALL ST. LONDON. J.J.MECHI. To prevent fraudulent imitations signs all his articles thus without which NONE ARE GENIUNE.'
'J.J.Mechi'

When the case was donated to the V&A, the donor, a relative by marriage to Harry Randall, wrote: "I am the current custodian of his travelling box in which he kept his make-up. It has been passed down through the family originating from his sister in law Mrs Annie (Nancy) Randall who was married to Alf Randall, Harry's brother. She had everything belonging to Harry Randall, his make-up box, his scrap book, his chair and his sheet music. After my Great Aunt Nancy died everything of Harry's was thrown out, except his make-up box which my father's sister kept. At this time it still had his original make in on the jars but when my father's sister died and I became the new owner of the box, all the make-up had been washed out by my aunt, unfortunately."

Gifts of Grandeur: The Prince Albert Tie Pin, 1865

Stickpin with Enamel Portrait of Prince Albert
England, 1865
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection 
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The enamel portrait contained in this handsome tie-pin is based on a photograph by John Edwin Mayall which was taken within weeks of the Prince Consort's death in December of 1861.

The portrait by William Charles Bell (1831-1904) is set in a gold stick-pin with a chased Greek key design.

The pin was presented to one Nestor Tirard by Her Majesty Queen Victoria in 1865. On the pin’s reverse this gift has been inscribed: “Nestor Tirard/fromVR. Coburg Aug 26./1865.” The piece still retains its original blue velvet presentation case. After Prince Albert’s death, the Queen often made commemorative gifts in her beloved husband’s honor.

So, who was this Nestor Tirard. Jean Nestor Tirard (d. 1888) was the hairdresser to Queen Victoria from 1846 until 1867.

History's Runway: A Double-Breasted Sporting Suit, 1904

Double-breasted Sporting Suit
England, 1904
The Victoria & Albert Museum

By the 1890s, light-colored suits such as this one were fashionable for men to wear for summer sports, boating, bicycling, and during visits to the seaside. These suits were comprised of a matching coat, trousers and waistcoat in pin-striped flannel (known as “dittos”) and the outfit was often completed with a straw boater.

The cut of the flannel jacket pictured above is derived from the earlier “reefer” coat—a style which was usually worn for sailing. However, by the end of the Nineteenth Century, fashions were relaxing a bit for men (certainly not to the extent that they are now) and this style was acceptable for social wear at informal, outdoor events.

A gentlemen's etiquette book wrote:

There are special suits for all kinds of outdoor amusements, such as shooting, golfing, tennis, boating, driving, riding, bicycling, fishing, hunting, &c., but into the details of these it is unnecessary to enter. It may be remarked, however, that it is easy to stultify the whole effect of these, however perfectly they may be 'built' by the tailor, by the addition of a single incongruous article of attire; such as a silk hat or patent boots with a shooting-suit. (Mrs Humphry, Manners for Men, London 1897)

This particular pinstripe suit is of exceptional quality with buttons made of mother-of-pearl and a fine cotton lining. It was made in London around 1904.

History's Runway: A Boy's Waistcoat, 1820

Embroidered Waistcoat
1820-30
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Clothing for little boys over the age of seven, often emulated the outfits worn by grown men. By the end of the Eighteenth Century, trousers had replaced breeches as the main manner of dress for boys. While breeches were fitted to the knee, trousers were wider in the leg and were, therefore, looser, more practical and assuredly more comfortable for a little boy who was prone to be active and moving around. By the 1860’s, the fashion for prepubescent lads was to wear short pants. This was a style which came to the U.K. from the U.S. These short pants were worn with a variety of different shirts, collars, waistcoats and styles of jacket—depending on the occasion.

A waistcoat such as this one would have been a suitable choice for daily wear in the schoolroom of at home. Made between 1820 and 1830 in England, this waistcoat is lined with ivory-colored twill against a front of ivory satin. It boasts pockets and a shawl collar.

The collar and front of this handsome garment are hand embroidered in colored silks with a floral pattern of sprays of rosebuds, forget-me-nots and pansies. The back of the waistcoat is constructed of white cotton and features tapes and brass-bound eyelet holes to adjust the fit.

Now, we should note that this waistcoat was not made for a child—at first. It was made in an adult size. You may find the floral motif a little irregular in pattern, but remember that flowers were assigned particular meanings which were well-known and understood. Let’s take a look at this, then. The roses mean love, and rosebuds, therefore, signify love in its early stages, or a confession of love. The pansies stand for thoughts; and the forget-me-nots symbolized true love or remembrance. In this combination, the flowers would have been suited for a betrothal gift to a gentleman. So, it’s a good possibility, that when this waistcoat was originally made, it was to be worn for a wedding. Years later, the garment was cut down to be given to a child. This was not unusual. Children were often given altered adult clothes since the cost of clothing was comparatively astronomical for most families.

History's Runway: Victorian Underpants, 1890-1900

Pants
Britain, 1890-1900
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In Britain, in the Nineteenth Century, the word “vests” referred to an under-shirt while the term “pants” was used for underwear.  Both were worn next to the skin, either under the shirt or trousers. Many men preferred to have the vest and pants combined in one garment.  Some underpants were knee-length, but others were shorter and preferable for cycling.

Underpants were made in linen, cotton and merino, but machine-knitted silk was fashionable for wealthy men, especially for summer wear. Underpants were usually a natural white color, but by the late Nineteenth Century, vests were available in a range of colors, including peach, flesh tint, lavender, light blue and heliotrope.

Usually, a gentleman owned several sets of vests and underpants. By the Twentieth Century, most men wore combined vests and pants.   By 1906, the vast majority of men dispensed with underwear altogether in the summer months.  Scandalous!

This set of underwear from 1880-1900 consists of pants and a vest.  They are initialed, as many were to make sure that during the laundry process, the right underwear was returned to the right man.  These are monogrammed “G.D.” They are luxurious machine-knitted silk, with pearl buttons and silk loops for braces, and are machine-sewn.  They fitted close to the body so as not to disrupt the line of a smart, well-tailored suit.

History's Runway: A Boating Suit, 1890-1900

Gentleman's Boating Suit
England
1890-1900
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Light-colored suits such as the one pictured above became fashionable for gents from the 1890s. Matching coats, trousers and waistcoats (these were known as “dittos”) in pin-striped flannel were acceptable casual dress for summer sports and holidays. An outfit like this was often completed with a straw boater hat. I would like to dress this way, I think. But, people might stare.

Cricket, tennis and rowing were very fashionable seaside pursuits during the summer. Suits like this would have been perfect for these events. Since social conventions were relaxing a tad during the end of the Nineteenth Century, a gentleman only had to sweat through these light layers instead of the usual heavy, dark wool outfit he’d previously have been forced to wear. One gentlemen's etiquette book, “Manners for Men,” by Mrs. Humphry (known as “Madge of Truth”) was published in 1897. In it, Mrs. Humprhry writes that:

'There are special suits for all kinds of outdoor amusements, such as shooting, golfing, tennis, boating, driving, riding, bicycling, fishing, hunting, &c., but into the details of these it is unnecessary to enter. It may be remarked, however, that it is easy to stultify the whole effect of these, however perfectly they may be built 'by the tailor' by the addition of a single incongruous article of attire; such as a silk hat or patent boots with a shooting-suit.'

The example that we see here was made between 1890-1900 by an unknown English tailor and consists of cream wool with blue pinstripe. It is both hand- and machine-sewn.

Saturday Sumptuousness: The Blakemore Velvet Jacket , 1810

Silk Velvet Jacket with Metallic Braid and Embroidery, 1810
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The sleeve of this exceptional velvet jacket features a very special adornment—a tablet-woven braid made from many colors of silk thread.  The various threads form delicate stripes.  The lower  portion of the sleeve has been embroidered with metal thread across the width to form more complex patterns.   Similar metallic threads adorn the rest of the jacket, however these seem unremarkable when compared with the exquisite majesty of the short length of embroidery which decorates each cuff.

When it was acquired by the Victoria & Albert Museum, this jacket was believed to have been made in North Africa, however further research showed that it was made in Albania.  This jacket is unusually similar to a jacket and waistcoat which were purchased by the English poet Lord Byron in Tepalene, Albania in 1809.

Made for a man, the jacket is made of red silk velvet with a small round opening for the neck.  The garment was designed to be worn open at the front as there are no fastenings and no evidence of any ever having been included.

The body of the jacket is lined in red cotton, except for inside the lower portion of the sleeve which is lined with green silk velvet. This bit of green lining would have been visible when the jacket was worn.

History's Runway: The Hammond Driving Coat, 1906-1908

Driving Coat
1906-1908
Hammond & Co.
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Musuem

At the turn of the Twentieth Century, in large part due to the influence of the more casual King Edward VII, men’s fashions began to change. This was also part of the growing interest in sporting and leisure activities amongst men of the middle and upper classes. A need for more relaxed clothing was necessary to accommodate activities such as riding a bicycle, playing golf or even driving a motor car.

Here’s an example of the type of clothing developed during the Edwardian era to offer comfort and durability during outdoor wear. By this point, while a man’s wardrobe was increasingly casual, his assortment of costumes was almost as varied and vast as a woman’s—allowing for different attire for a wide range of activities and locations.

This driving coat, made between 1906 and 1908, is made of black and white hounds-tooth check tweed. Double-breasted with ten buttons, the coat features a versatile pointed lapel which can be buttoned and worn close to the throat. Hip pockets afford lots of storage and a small ticket pocket at the waist was a handsome and useful addition. The coat is lined with gray silk to the waist and the “skirts” are lined with gray, black and white vertical stripes of woven wool.

Made in London, this is the work of the tailors at Hammond & Co. 

Unusual Artifacts: A Pair of Red Oxford Shoes, 1925

Oxford Shoes
Coxton Shoe Co., Ltd., 1925
Shown at the London International Shoe Fair
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the 1920’s, the footwear fashion for men was to wear “Oxford” lace-up shoes—essentially a “closed tab shoe.” They were so-called because the eyelet tabs (these are the sections of leather with holes for the laces) were stitched under the front section of the shoe (known as the vamp) as opposed to be stitched on top.

Oxfords, typically, were black or brown leather, intended for everyday wear. At the time, especially in Britain, men of taste followed strict rules of “appropriate” dress. Brown shoes worn with a dinner suit were considered inappropriate. And, any display of vivid color footwear was thought to be vulgar.

And, then, there are these shoes of bright red leather adorned with gold swirls. Clearly, these were not made for actual wear. No, these shoes were made to be displayed in order to showcase the maker’s skills. They were displayed at the London International Shoe Fair in 1925. Joining them were a black and gold pair and a thoroughly blinding, marbled blue leather creation.

Made by the Coxton Shoe Co., Ltd. of Rushden (Northamptonshire), England, the shoes were made specifically to catch the eye of American buyers. While a British man would never have dared to wear bright red shoes, American men had more freedom. Though this particular pair would have seemed vulgar, even my American standards, the workmanship demonstrated that the Coxton concern was able to produce more exciting designs than other makers. and may have been aimed at the American market which was open to more exotic designs.

The shoes feature gold leather decoration, a rounded-pointed toe, six eyelets, and gold laces. Red stitching on gold decorative strips gives interest to the backstrap, toe-cap, facing, vamp and quarters. They boast a stacked heel and a brown leather sole with a scrolling pattern along the edges and a green stripe between two red wheeled stripes. 

Unusual Artifacts: An Edwardian Silver Moustache Spoon, 1904

Moustache Spoon
John Round and Son, 1904
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Well, this almost makes me want to grow a moustache—almost.  Many Victorian gentleman followed the fashion of growing large and important-looking moustaches—a style which endured well into the reign of King George V.  Since these bushy, “nose neighbors,” as Ned Flanders would say, would often get in the way during the consumption of food, special cutlery was developed to keep the “cookie dusters” free from crumbs, and soup, and, sauce and…well, you get it.

Here’s a good example of moustache cutlery.  This special spoon was made with a guard on one side of the spoon’s bowl to protect the moustache when eating soup.  Many of these spoons had detachable guards so that they could be used by normal, moustache-less people.  This one, however is permanent. Even more interesting is the fact that, often, these moustache spoons were made for both right and left-handed users.


This attractive, but weird little spoon was manufactured by the firm of John Round & Son Ltd. Who described themselves as “The largest Spoon and Fork Makers in the World.”   The concern kept a factory in Sheffield, while the main showrooms were in London.

History's Runway: A Victorian Dressing Gown, c. 1850

Dressing Gown
England, 1850-1870
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Nineteenth Century dressing gowns, while similar in shape to those we know today, were not simply cozy bathrobes. They were formal and tailored, sometimes worn with a girdle. Such dressing gowns were constructed of elegant fabrics like silk, satin and velvet. Most were alive with brilliant colors and adorned with tassels.

A dressing gown was usually quilted to provide added warmth to the wearer. Gentlemen’s dressing gowns were made in “The Frock Great Coat” form with a string in the waist to fit it to the wearer. Most examples have a great, rolling collar which terminates at the waist.

Men and women wore dressing gowns indoors for a more formal breakfast or as a cover-up between daily outfit changes.

This example was made of jacquard woven silk with a “shot effect background” in dark blue for a gentleman. It’s emblazoned with a floral design in maroon and lined with quilted Khaki colored twilled silk. It dates between 1850 and 1870 and was made in London. 

History's Runway: The Pollock Overcoat, 1850

Overcoat of Russian Wold and Woven Wool
Given by Mrs. A. Pollock
London, 1850
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Fully-lined and trimmed with the skins of thirty-two Russian wolves, this gentelman’s overcoat is fastened with five rows of frogging which are constructed from a heavy black braid. The highest frog fastener, worn high on the chest, allows the collar to be turned up to frame the face and neck.

When this coat was made, around 1850, both men and women were wearing furs. At the time, fur farming was not in practice and the pelts for coats and fashions like this were made from animals which were hunted and trapped in the wild.

Still yucky, if you ask me. But, it’s, nonetheless, an attractive coat and wholly charming in the manner of the mid-Nineteenth Century. 

Print of the Day: Men's Evening Dress, 1920

Men's Fashion Plate
France, 1920
The Victoria & Albert Museum

We’re accustomed to seeing fashion plates for women’s clothing—especially from the Victorian era. However, this fashion plate, from 1920, by Georges Gorvel shows men’s fashions. It is from the journal Gazette du Bon Ton (1912-1915, 1920-1925)—a journal which featured articles about theatre, travel and other pursuits of interest to the leisured wealthy man, but with a main emphasis which was always on fashion. The journal was intended for the Parisian élite, and was famed for introducing men’s fashions in color plates such as this one which anticipated the Art Deco style. The illustrations typically were stenciled by hand with watercolor in a technique known as pochoir.

This fashion plate from 1920 shows a smoking man in evening dress. He is elegantly dressed with tails and a top hat. The only hint of color in the glamorous image is his yellow glove.

Gifts of Grandeur: A Set of Micromosaic Studs and Buttons, c. 1850

Micromosaic Buttons
Italy, c. 1850
This and all related images from the Victoria & Albert Museum

An English gentleman of the 1850s would have reserved a decorative set of buttons and studs such as these for evening wear.  This set, containing ten buttons and two studs, would have adorned his waistcoat and shirt.  The double-breasted style which was the fashion of the time would have required this number.  The two studs were employed to secure the front of the short which would have been visible above the waistcoat.

This particular suite is part of the collection of micromosaic jewelry which was bequeathed to the V&A by Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde.  The buttons each show Roman monuments surrounded by frames of black glass.  They were made in the Vatican Mosaic Workshop in Rome.  

Unusual Artifacts: A Top Hat Box, 1890-99

Hat Box of Leather and Silk
Containing two fine hats
1890-1899
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This hatbox, dating to about 1890 to 1899, is made of brown leather, and boasts two leather straps with snap fastenings and a handle for transportation. The box is lined with red grosgrain—essentially, a heavy, corded silk which is primarily used for ribbon.

The case contains two fine hats. Inside the bottom part of the hatbox is a top hat of black silk plush, lined with white satin. The V&A notes, “The top of the hat has a ventilation hole marked 'Extra Quality Trade Mark Dunlop & Co Reg. US Patent Office'.” The top portion of the hatbox contains a gibus (a top hat with a collapsible crown, which came into fashion in the 1840s and was worn with evening dress) of black silk grosgrain lined with black silk marked 'Extra Quality Trade Mark Dunlop & Co., Copyrighted CBH'.  Sadly, we have no pictures of the hats.

While this box contains two hats, some hatboxes included a storage space for a the type of brush which was used to keep the hats shiny and smooth by bushing the nap. These brushes were often used for advertising by hatters and were given away with new hats. 

History's Runway: The Blakemore Velvet Jacket , 1810

Silk Velvet Jacket with Metallic Braid and Embroidery, 1810
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The sleeve of this exceptional velvet jacket features a very special adornment—a tablet-woven braid made from many colors of silk thread.  The various threads form delicate stripes.  The lower  portion of the sleeve has been embroidered with metal thread across the width to form more complex patterns.   Similar metallic threads adorn the rest of the jacket, however these seem unremarkable when compared with the exquisite majesty of the short length of embroidery which decorates each cuff.

When it was acquired by the Victoria & Albert Museum, this jacket was believed to have been made in North Africa, however further research showed that it was made in Albania.  This jacket is unusually similar to a jacket and waistcoat which were purchased by the English poet Lord Byron in Tepalene, Albania in 1809.

Made for a man, the jacket is made of red silk velvet with a small round opening for the neck.  The garment was designed to be worn open at the front as there are no fastenings and no evidence of any ever having been included.

The body of the jacket is lined in red cotton, except for inside the lower portion of the sleeve which is lined with green silk velvet. This bit of green lining would have been visible when the jacket was worn.

Unusual Artifacts: Harry Randall's Dressing Case, 1840-60

Dressing Case of Harry Randall
1840-60
This and all related images from the
Victoria & Albert Museum

This dressing case was used by the leading music hall comic and “pantomime dame” Harry Randall (1860-1932) as a make-up box. The fine quality of the box and its handsome fittings mark of the status that Randall reached as a performer.  Curiously, this was the only personal possession of Harry Randall's that was preserved by his family.

Randall's first professional appearance was in 1884 at Deacon's Music Hall in Islington. He was very close friends with champion dancer Dan Leno and, like Leno, Randall became known for his comedy character songs and his pantomime dames, several of which he performed in pantomimes with Leno.  He became so well known that his name was used in the rhyming slang for 'candles' which became known as “Harry Randalls,” or simply “Harrys.”

The wooden dressing case boats inlaid brass edging to the lid and sides.  The lid of the box is lined with ruched and padded blue velvet, around which there is a dark blue leather border stamped with a gilt foliate pattern.

The box contains a removable wooden tray divided into six compartments, three of the compartments are lined with blue leather; two with pads of blue velvet and one without lining but with a wooden lid with a silver knob.

The tray contains a wooden lidded compartment, two small round glass jars with silver lids, a long glass tray with a pierced and chased silver lid and a compartment with indentations for tweezers, a corkscrew, a button hook, an awl, manicure scissors and a nail file with a mother-of-pearl handle. The main body of the dressing case has four deep compartments, three containing silver-lidded jars, and one empty with a wooden lid with a silver knob, similar to the wooden lid in the tray but not the same size.

The case was made in London between 1840-1860 by J.J. Mechi.  It is marked:

'No.4 LEADENHALL ST. LONDON. J.J.MECHI. To prevent fraudulent imitations signs all his articles thus without which NONE ARE GENIUNE.'
'J.J.Mechi'

When the case was donated to the V&A, the donor, a relative by marriage to Harry Randall, wrote: "I am the current custodian of his travelling box in which he kept his make-up. It has been passed down through the family originating from his sister in law Mrs Annie (Nancy) Randall who was married to Alf Randall, Harry's brother. She had everything belonging to Harry Randall, his make-up box, his scrap book, his chair and his sheet music.  After my Great Aunt Nancy died everything of Harry's was thrown out, except his make-up box which my father's sister kept. At this time it still had his original make in on the jars but when my father's sister died and I became the new owner of the box, all the make-up had been washed out by my aunt, unfortunately."

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Silk Top Hat, 1900-1910

Frequently a silk hat is never seen between Sunday and Sunday. Churchgoers still, to a certain extent, affect it, but in these days of outdoor life, bicycling, and so on, the costume worn by men in church is experiencing the same modifications that characterise it in other department.

--“Manners for Men,” by Mrs Humphry ('Madge of Truth')

Top Hat
Silk
James Locke & Co.
1900-1910
The Victoria & Albert Museum

No Nineteenth or Early Twentieth Century gentleman’s evening attire was complete without the proper headgear—a top hat. Tall, high-crowned hats with a narrow brim (which was most often slightly turned up on the sides), top hats, in the Nineteenth Century, were worn in black for evenings, but sometimes, for sporting and casual events, they could be grey or brown. For a brief period in the early Nineteenth Century, pale colors between off-white and gray were worn with sporting dress from about 1820, and into the 1840s were acceptable for a man’s daily wardrobe. 

The top hat reached the apex of its popularity during the 1840s and 1850s as the middle classes had greater access to manufactured attire. After 1850, new styles emerged, such as the straw boater and soft felt hat, but the most popular of the trendy new styles was the bowler. The rise of the bowler challenged the predominance of the top hat in daily use, but they remained the height of evening fashion. 

The advent of the collapsible top hat (called a “gibus”) came in the 1840s and was often worn with evening dress. The gibus worked by means of an accordion of corded silk or cloth over a metal framework, allowing it to be opened easily and closed so that it could easily be carried under the arm.

This particular hat is made of silk as opposed to some which were made from felted beaver fur (and consequently called “beavers). This model by the English firm James Locke and Co. dates between 1900 and 1910.