"Umbrella with dark blue-green cotton cover, striped with beige around edges, ivory or bone points, metal framing, baleen canopy ribs, tortoise colored crooked handle, possibly horn, brass cylindrical slide and tip, stenciled green and tan cotton drawstring case, (small dents in brass, minor stains and wear to wood handle) excellent."
Then I started looking for further documentation. I found lots of portraits of girls with gold bands about their arms, high and at about the level of the edge of the sleeve. But most of these, I am convinced, are actually just bands of trim on the sleeve. See if you don't agree. These were dead ends for solving my mystery. In fact, I started to worry that even Mrs Otis was just wearing sleeve trim and super-sheer sleeves. After all, there are a lot of renaissance paintings where I know the woman is wearing a super-sheer chemise but I can only really tell because the very edge is slightly visible)
On the other hand, I found a couple of portraits with what might be trim, or what could really genuinely be bracelets, at that same high point but this time over sleeves instead of below them on bare arms. I can't be truly sure on these, but I feel like they are jewelry, not trim.
It wasn't until I found this fashion plate (look here) that I really solved the mystery. The text for the plate says "A turban a la Greque, of pale yellow and silver, the hair in small ringlets round the face; diamond earings, and armlets, either with or without necklace. Sack dress of pale yellow, trimmed with silver, white satin shoes, and white kid gloves."
Eureka! Armlets! Not bracelets, but armlets. A little further research, now that I had the name, and I am convinced that armlets were definitely a thing in the early nineteenth century. I like that the text says armlets, plural. I don't have evidence that these should be worn in pairs, and the women in the portraits are dis-obligingly in profile where we can only see one arm, but since I am used to bracelet pairs later in the century I am very comfortable with this idea. Anyway, I'm going to have to trot out a pair of cool armlets for our next regency ball (I think I have just the right pair of too-large-and-too-round-for-my-wrists bracelets in mind, even).
A reminder, for comparison:
Meet us at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, on Sunday, February 27 at 2 pm in the new Art of the Americas wing. From 2-5 we will be strolling, ready to see and be seen, in our historical best. We would love to see you, so dress-up in your favorite historical (or modern!) outfit, and join us! Pre-registration is not necessary. Consider getting a discount on museum admission at your local library. For more information or answers to your questions phone CVD at (617) 819-4283,
or email query@vintagedancers.org
Forgive the poor quality pictures. I am hopeless with computers, and this is such a obscure thing that I could only get pictures by taking screencaps myself, so they are less than perfect.
Let us just say that this gentleman was a much better ice skater than I was. In fact, let us further say that it is a total surprise I only fell dramatically once. My knee is all purple... Ow! Other highlights of the afternoon include hearing Cake on the sound system (somehow I don't think it is actually because the ice skating people read my blog... but it was a fun coincidence), and of course watching Julia's cape flip over her head and blind her - repeatedly - as she attempted to skate around in the strong winds. Those winds were REALLY strong.... there were times when I was standing still but the wind blew me across the ice until I was actually moving pretty fast. And of course, if you were already moving at a reasonable speed, the wind make that speed unreasonable.
I am in love. The offset stripes... the alternating buttons! It is too, too beautiful.
Time for the fashion show. Julia wore mother's yellow silk dress, and a pearl collar I made years ago but which has, I think, never been worn. Mother wore a beaded net overdress we had lying around over a seafoam silk underdress (which we started making at 11 PM the night before) and a turban (which I threw together experimentally that morning). I wore a new, fairly plain, cream colored dress with embroidery which we started during school break, but which Mother did most of the work for while I was at school. I accessorized with a necklace of gold filigree beads mother often wears, then twined a strand of similar gold filigree beads (earmarked for a different project) into my hair, then added a pair of really spiffy earrings from the Uffizi gift shop. And red boots - always the signature red boots. The hair was mostly inspired by a portrait that I included in my regency hair post - I'm not sure if she has little combs or if she did exactly the same thing as I did with the beads, but either way I think I got the right feeling going.
Will you be looking for more opportunities to wear your regency outfit after the ball this Saturday? Then keep February 19 free for some fun and ice skating! This is more of a meet-up type event, so you don't need to register with us, just pay admission at the skating rink. Come in your best regency clothes (and a few warm layers too - the rink is outside), or just wear anything and come skating anyway. You can even come if you didn't go to the ball (but I know you want to go to the ball too!). Really, there are no requirements for this event, but I am really excited about it - so show up!
Regency Ice Skating Party
February 19, at 1 pm
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Sponsored by: The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers
Meet us at Kendall Square Community Skating, 300 Athenaeum St (near 3rd St), Cambridge. We will be skating from 1 to 4 pm. The rink has skate rentals and hot drinks, and is reasonably priced. No pre-registration is necessary, so just come join us! For more information or answers to your questions phone CVD at (617) 819-4283, or email Query@vintagedancers.org. 
