Allow me to tell you a story. I picked up a piece of clothing of historical significance on a recent trip to Charlottesville, and after some quick internet sleuthing, was able to fill in a lot of the garment's backstory.
John Kellogg was destined to be a well-off man from birth. He was born in upstate New York in 1876 to a second-generation linseed oil baron and grew up in a significant, but tasteful, family mansion built in the 1850s (http://www.uslister.com/listings/pro.../21562333.html).
He followed his father and grandfather into the family business, appearing through the years in the census for his hometown of Amsterdam, NY, which is located in upstate New York, just to the northwest of Albany.
Ann Peconie, executive director of the city’s museum, said when Kellog was head of the “quite regal” household, he was stand at the cupola atop the house “where it is said Mr. Kellogg watched barges come up the Mohawk delivering to him barrels of linseed to make his oil products.”
In 1930, Kellogg decided he needed a bespoke dinner jacket, so he walked down to Church Street and visited Mr. Brown, a merchant tailor who had first opened up shop in the city around 1908 over the Solvos confectionary store on East Main. He had moved to the city from Canada, where he had started his lifetime in clothes as a 13-year-old apprentice. He was to retire in 1944, nearly 15 years after opening his own shop in Amsterdam, having spent 39 years making clothes for Amsterdam residents at three different locations, but in 1930, he was likely riding high from his recent relocation to a larger space (and a move away from Railroad Street). He died in 1952 after what the Amsterdam Evening Recorder called “a long illness.”
Kellogg's jacket, made for him in September of 1930, has an incredible backstory; and for being more than 80 years old, it is in fantastic condition. Kellogg must not have worn this very often, and I don't know how it was stored, but it must have been packed away very carefully.
It fits around a 41 or 42 short with narrow shoulders. If you have any interest in adding this to your collection, let me know.
John Kellogg was destined to be a well-off man from birth. He was born in upstate New York in 1876 to a second-generation linseed oil baron and grew up in a significant, but tasteful, family mansion built in the 1850s (http://www.uslister.com/listings/pro.../21562333.html).
He followed his father and grandfather into the family business, appearing through the years in the census for his hometown of Amsterdam, NY, which is located in upstate New York, just to the northwest of Albany.
Ann Peconie, executive director of the city’s museum, said when Kellog was head of the “quite regal” household, he was stand at the cupola atop the house “where it is said Mr. Kellogg watched barges come up the Mohawk delivering to him barrels of linseed to make his oil products.”
In 1930, Kellogg decided he needed a bespoke dinner jacket, so he walked down to Church Street and visited Mr. Brown, a merchant tailor who had first opened up shop in the city around 1908 over the Solvos confectionary store on East Main. He had moved to the city from Canada, where he had started his lifetime in clothes as a 13-year-old apprentice. He was to retire in 1944, nearly 15 years after opening his own shop in Amsterdam, having spent 39 years making clothes for Amsterdam residents at three different locations, but in 1930, he was likely riding high from his recent relocation to a larger space (and a move away from Railroad Street). He died in 1952 after what the Amsterdam Evening Recorder called “a long illness.”
Kellogg's jacket, made for him in September of 1930, has an incredible backstory; and for being more than 80 years old, it is in fantastic condition. Kellogg must not have worn this very often, and I don't know how it was stored, but it must have been packed away very carefully.
It fits around a 41 or 42 short with narrow shoulders. If you have any interest in adding this to your collection, let me know.
