CRAVAT! April 4, 1768 at the Colden Store, Coldengham, New York

Monday April 4, 1768
Coldengham, New York
Store of Cadwallader Colden, Jr.

Cravat

On the first Monday in April, the day after Easter, fifty-seven items were purchased at the Colden Store.  Johannes and Jacob Millspaugh (Millspough) made identical purchases of a cravat (seven shillings) on this day, 250 years ago.

White Cravat.  Image Courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg.

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This article is one in a series of a daily accountings of Colden Store transactions. Be sure you read the first installment for an introduction to the store. You should also read this article which appeared in the Journal of the Orange County Historical Society.

Prior blogs have described the large quantities of fabrics sold at the store, which would indicate that the inhabitants of this area made most of their own clothing. The store sold no dresses, breeches, vests, coats, or shirts. Some shoes were sold, but not in the quantities to be expected if the store was the main source.

But the store did sell finished accessories like handkerchiefs, gloves, hats, stockings, and cravats.

The Colonial Williamsburg website states that "The 18th-century man almost always wore some sort of neck cloth, whether fashionably dressed or at labor.The cravat was one of many forms of neckwear. It was a narrow length of white linen that could be adorned on its ends with lace, fringe, or knots. It was worn wrapped about the throat and loosely tied in front. The cravat was first seen in fashionable dress in the mid-17th century. It was derived from the "crabate" worn by Croatian soldiers serving with the French Army (ca. 1645-1650). By the mid 18th century it was worn in informal attire."

Over the prior seven months, Colden sold about fifteen Cravats. One was described as 'Silk', four others as 'Black.'

Perhaps Black Cravats were going through a period of fashion? An internet search for black cravats yields several early nineteeth century portraits of noblemen sporting black cravats, much like the one below which you can buy today on-line.

Black Cravat. Image courtesy of Townsends

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