Black tail coat with white pocket handkerchief worn by Cab Calloway

Manufactured by

After Six, American, founded 1903

Worn by

Cab Calloway, American, 1907 - 1994

Description

(a) A black swallow-tailed coat worn by Cab Calloway. The coat is made of a black wool and synthetic blend fabric with black satin peaked lapels and straight cuffless sleeves. There are two (2) decorative round black plastic buttons, one at each outside wrist. The coat does not close in the front, but there are six (6) decorative round black plastic buttons, three on each front side. There is one (1) exterior inset pocket at the proper left breast. The tails of the coat are rounded on the outside edge with a squared corner at the center vent. There are two (2) decorative round black plastic buttons on the back, one at each center seam of the tails. The coat, tails, and sleeves are lined with black synthetic fabric. There is one interior pocket with an opening along the inside where the lapel meets the lining at the proper right front breast. Inside the pocket is a manufacturer's label with size 46R and care instructions is sewn inside the proper right interior breast pocket. Below this tag is a union label for the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU).There is a hanger loop at the interior center back neck made of black fabric with silver embroidered text reading "after Six / DRY CLEAN ONLY".

(b) A white square handkerchief folded and used as a pocket square in the exterior proper left breast pocket of the coat (a). The cotton handkerchief has white supplementary warp and weft threads creating a woven plaid design around the borders.

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Cabella Calloway Langsam

1976-1995

Object number

2013.237.4.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Type

tail coats

handkerchiefs

Medium

(a): wool and synthetic blend fiber with plastic buttons;

(b): cotton

Dimensions

H x W x D ((a) on form): 44 × 25 1/2 × 15 1/2 in. (111.8 × 64.8 × 39.4 cm)

H x W ((a) flat): 44 1/2 × 19 in. (113 × 48.3 cm)

H x W ((b) flat): 14 3/4 × 14 3/4 in. (37.5 × 37.5 cm)

Classification

Clothing-Costume

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic

African American

Clothing and dress

Composers (Musicians)

Conductors (Musicians)

Costume

Dance

Jazz (Music)

Singers (Musicians)

Record ID

nmaahc_2013.237.4.1ab

Usage of Metadata (Object Detail Text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd521ce37c7-4778-401c-8fb4-1c7c3fac896c