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Place of Use Continent - North America, Country - Canada, Province / Territory - Quebec, Municipality - Murray Bay, Township / District - Charlevoix-Est, County of
Category Personal artifacts
Sub-category Clothing, outerwear
Department History
Museum CMH
Earliest 1824/01/01
Latest 1845/12/31
Inscription (at the back, center of right shoulder/dans le dos au centre de l'épaule droite) John McNicol Nairne
Materials Cotton, Steel
Person / Institution Associated party, Nairne, Colonel John
Measurements Length 55.0 cm, Width 47.0 cm, Thickness 5.4 cm

Caption Comments on this waistcoat from the Nairne family
Additional Information A hand-sewn single-breasted man's waistcoat with foreparts of finely textured diamond weave piqué in dark buff with a printed, widely-spaced pattern of tiny red circles, each surrounded by a circle of red dots. The background is powdered with virtually invisible black dots; back is of white cotton. Foreparts cut with a turned-back collar that is really a shawl collar with a very small notch to simulate the more usual seamed collar; two clumsy mends on left upper collar. Waistcoat has a closure of five flat, self-covered buttons with flax thread shank and five worked buttonholes; welt pocket each side with white cotton pocket bag; gently sloping and very slightly curved lower front edges form point at centre front when buttoned; foreparts lined with white cotton. Back is made of double layer of white cotton; at centre back waistline area is an 11.5 cm wide triangular inset of fine white cotton which extends to 5.0 cm below centre back collar line. There are two wide linen tapes sewn, one above the other, at each lower side waistline area; three steel buttons in a vertical row close to lower tape of each side (purpose unknown). Written in black ink at the right shoulder blade is: 'John McNicol / Nairne'('Nairne' has been added at a later date). According to dating information associated with this garment, the John Nairne who could have worn this waistcoat is John McNicol Nairne, whose grandfather was Colonel John Nairne, the first Seigneur of Murray Bay.