July 12, 1987
By Deborah Curtis Drummy
Vigo County Historical Society
Handiwork
Old gloves symbol of genteel era
Back in the mid-1950s when my mother dressed my sister and me for some very special occasion (which invariably took place in a church), the finishing touches included smooth, white, wrist-length gloves. The gloves made us feel very grown up and even a bit prissy.
No one needed to caution us about keeping the gloves clean. It was as if the gloves had cast a spell of dignity upon us which was unusual enough to be a sort of game in itself: Let’s play like we’re real grown-up ladies!” We had no idea that the practice of wearing hand coverings had begun its long, illustrious history with men who lived in caves and estimated 240,000 years ago.
As one might guess, these first prehistoric gloves were crude, roughly-dressed animal skins made into bags that were slipped over the hands and arms. There were no separations for thumbs or fingers. The bags provided protection from the elements with no provisions for dexterity.
The glove as we know it, with individual pockets for fingers, also is quite old. Linen gloves with separate fingers were found in the bundled clothing of Egyptian king Tutankhamen. Gloves also were used in ancient Greece, Israel, Chaldea and Persia. Their purpose remained purely functional until adopted by the Romans, who began decorating gloves to the point that they became articles of adornment as well as protection. The Romans introduced gloves to Western Europe.
As with most accessories of dress, gloves first were worn chiefly by men in high positions, usually rulers or churchmen. As early as the seventh century, gloves were given a distinctive place in the rites of the church. Early priests wore white gloves while offering the Holy Sacrament, making them a symbol of purity.
Their symbolism went still further: A king could send his glove as a sign of his consent. Gloves were used as pledges of security in the exchange of property. Gloves also were exchanged as symbols of love. Many a jousting knight wore his lady’s glove upon his helmet.
The 12th century marked a turning point in fashion, as gloves became fashionable accessories. Ladies of rank began to wear bejeweled leather gloves possibly because of the rising popularity of hawking. The leather provided protection from the birds’ sharp talons. The gloves worn during this time, by both men and women, were elaborately adorned gauntlets.
It wasn’t until the late-18th and early-19th centuries that gloves settled into the more simple styles we know today. Perfection of fit became the new goal.
Glove length became a major consideration. The world-famous actress Sarah Bernhardt, to disguise arms then considered too thin, popularized long, shoulder-length gloves with puffy folds. Sleeve fashion was the deciding factor in selecting proper glove length. Short, puffed sleeves required long, over-the-elbow gloves. Long sleeves required wrist-length models.
Glove color was another fashion question. Since soiled gloves were the ultimate disgrace, tan became the most popular color for daytime, although white was still essential for formal wear.
This week’s historical treasure is a pair of fine, knitted ladies dress gloves, probably dating from the early-20th century. The open weave of the gloves indicates they were designed for warm weather wear, because they would offer little protection from the elements.
Knitted gloves existed at least 3,000 years ago. An example was found in an Egyptian tomb of that age. But the art of knitting appears to have been lost until about the 14th century.
One personal observation I’ve made about gloves, as well as socks, earrings and other items, coming in pairs, is their habit of becoming separated. I’m reminded of a story I heard once about a lady who had a pair of truly fine gloves she was very fond of. One day, just as the train she had just boarded was pulling out of the station, she glanced out the window to see one of her gloves lying on the platform; the other was on her lap. After a rush of dismay, she thought quickly and tossed the remaining glove out the window where it landed next to its mate.
This story, and the single glove’s propensity toward getting lost, reminds us that the museum is lucky indeed to have such a find collection of paired gloves. We also are reminded that many of the ‘historical treasures’ no doubt were treasured by their owners long before they became museum pieces.
The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.