Mark Hutter at Colonial Williamsburg gave a lecture on fragments of a trade
coat found in a brass pot at a burial site. These fragments were mostly the
areas where the metal lace had been applied, but from that he could discern
the shape of the original coat. But for research, I found his talk to be
fascinating. I think he gave this lecture at the last Costume Society of
America national conference. Good luck.

Becky Fifield

Rebecca L. Fifield
Collections Care Specialist
Department of Textile and Fashion Arts
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

www.mfa.org



-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Eubanks [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2000 5:17 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Looking for Chief's/Trade coats


Hello,

Does anyone have or know of an extant Chief's coat, also known as Trade
coats?  I am doing research on these coats, which were manufactured for and
traded to the Native Americans.  They were usually made in the military
style in blue or red wool, often with contrasting facings, and lots of
metallic trim.  Lewis and Clark mention giving one to a Sioux chief and list
them in their inventory.  They are also listed in numerous fur trade company
inventories.  Several archeological examples have been found, one of which
got me interested in them to start with.  To date, however, I have not found
an extant one that is unaltered from it's original manufacture by traders.
The only one I know of is heavily embellished with beadwork (in the
collection of Harvard's Peabody Museum).

Thanks to all for any help on this.  Also, if you know of another group
where this query might be appropriate, please let me know.

Beth Eubanks
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution

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