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Professor Irma G. Bowen began collecting items in 1920 as a hands-on teaching tool for students in the Home Economics department at the University of New Hampshire. The collection was named in Bowen’s honor after her death in 1947, and by the time it transitioned to the University Museum in 1969, the Bowen Collection had gained new significance. With most of the objects donated by local colleagues and families, the preserved items were recognized as an unexpected archive of New Hampshire heritage on a personal scale, a glimpse of lives otherwise invisible to the historical record.

This digital catalog continues the Bowen Collection's mission to teach while expanding its reach by making it more widely accessible to those interested in the design, technique, artistry, and historical relevance of clothing.

Bonnet, gray silk drawn over cane ribs, c. 1840s-1850s, front view
Bonnet, gray silk drawn over cane ribs, c. 1840s-1850s
Man’s vest, black silk velvet woven with copper and navy dots, 1840-1860, front view
Man’s vest, black silk velvet woven with copper and navy dots, 1840-1860
Engageantes, white cotton mull with Vandyke edge, 1845-1865
Engageantes, white cotton mull with Vandyke edge, 1845-1865
Engageantes, white cotton mull with pointed cuffs, 1845-1865
Engageantes, white cotton mull with pointed cuffs, 1845-1865
Dress, blue and copper shot silk with whitework collar, c. 1848 altered c. 1858, front view
Dress, blue and copper shot silk with whitework collar, c. 1848 altered c. 1858
Bonnet, deep purple velvet with a peaked brim and purple silk ribbons, mid-1880s, front view
Bonnet, deep purple velvet with a peaked brim and purple silk ribbons, mid-1880s
Dress, red and cream striped printed cotton, c. 1850s, front view
Dress, red and cream striped printed cotton, c. 1850s
Bonnet, brown and tan raffia spoon bonnet with fabric flowers, c. 1850s-1860s, front view
Bonnet, brown and tan raffia spoon bonnet with fabric flowers, c. 1850s-1860s
Dress, brown silk with black and white vertical woven stripes, 1850s, front view
Dress, brown silk with black and white vertical woven stripes, 1850s
Dress, green silk plaid, 1850s, front view
Dress, green silk plaid, 1850s
Dress, fan-front bodice and tiered skirt, of printed barege, 1850s, front view
Dress, fan-front bodice and tiered skirt, of printed barege, 1850s
Housedress, white cotton printed with lavender, 1850-1860, front view
Housedress, white cotton printed with lavender, 1850-1860
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