Engageantes, white cotton mull with pointed cuffs, 1845-1865, detail of cuff

1845-1865. White cotton mull engageantes (undersleeves), incomplete, with a white-on-white embroidered cuff elements coming to a point. The body of the engageante is a rectangle of plain-woven sheer fabric hemmed at the top edge and gathered to the cuff. The cuff is a plain-woven narrow rectangle that has been folded in half lengthwise, enclosing the raw edge of the sleeve within. The folded edge of the cuff has a white-on-white embroidered element whipstitched to it that comes to a 5.1 cm / 2 in. point, which would have extended over the back of the hand when worn. Each cuff band has one buttonhole on one side and two buttonholes side by side in line with each other on the other side. Hand-sewn.

The Irma G. Bowen Historic Clothing Collection digital catalog was produced by the UNH Library Digital Collection Initiative, supported in part by a grant from the Mooseplate program and New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. Additional funding provided by the E. Ruth Buxton Stephenson Memorial Fund.

Photography copyright, Astrida Schaeffer.