On Friday, November 8, 2013 11:07:23 AM UTC+11, Lloyd Mitchell wrote: > Paul > > > > This looks like a smoking cap to me. These were common in the mid to > > late nineteenth century. Originally intended to prevent the smell of > > smoke in the hair, hence the name, they became a general sort of > > informal evening cap for gentlemen relaxing at home. A bit of googling > > will show you many examples. > > > > Best > > > > Lloyd > > Thanks, Lloyd. That seems a good explanation! Paul

Dear Paul, I initially had other thoughts about the hat/cap as being a tam o' shanter / balmoral cap / glengarry cap but certainly Lloyd's suggestion fits far better and would be more in keeping with the ornamentation around the hat band. After using google images, I definitely agree with him. If you again use google images for "smoking jacket" it seems to reflect the coat and accoutrements. The jacket seems to be a loose fit rather than figure hugging for a tailored suit coat. I couldn't find amongst all the images an exact neck-tie similar to his. Most of the images showed a bow-tie. This page shows an assortment of cravat styles in the Jane Austen era: http://tinyurl.com/yjzczx8 or the full url..... http://janeaustensworld.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/plate-b-the-art-of-tying-the -cravat.jpg It looks like he might even be holding a cigar between thumb and first finger of his right hand. Never took up the tobacco habit and never will. Seemed favoured once-upon-a-time. I'm glad, at long last, smokers are banished to "exterior darkness" to give the rest of humanity some clean air ! Cheers, Tony Moore (Castle Hill, NSW) @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ On 7 Nov 2013 at 17:43, pblair wrote: Date sent: Thu, 7 Nov 2013 17:43:05 -0800 (PST) Subject: Re: Anyone know the 'dress'? From: pblair <pblair@pcug.org.au> To: genanz@rootsweb.com > On Friday, November 8, 2013 11:07:23 AM UTC+11, Lloyd Mitchell wrote: > > Paul > > This looks like a smoking cap to me. These were common in the mid to > > > > late nineteenth century. Originally intended to prevent the smell of > > > > smoke in the hair, hence the name, they became a general sort of > > > > informal evening cap for gentlemen relaxing at home. A bit of googling > > > > will show you many examples. > > Best > > Lloyd > Thanks, Lloyd. That seems a good explanation! > > Paul

Paul, Adding some extra to my earlier e-mail..... Another hidden gem also on the home page of the Jane Austen site: http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/page/2/ half way down Seems you man might have been the height of fashion if he was on the London scene:.. John Tallis: ..... seems to use the same neck-tie pattern http://janeaustensworld.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/john-tallis.jpg Cheers, Tony @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ On 7 Nov 2013 at 17:43, pblair wrote: Date sent: Thu, 7 Nov 2013 17:43:05 -0800 (PST) Subject: Re: Anyone know the 'dress'? From: pblair <pblair@pcug.org.au> To: genanz@rootsweb.com > On Friday, November 8, 2013 11:07:23 AM UTC+11, Lloyd Mitchell wrote: > > Paul > > > > > > > > This looks like a smoking cap to me. These were common in the mid to > > > > late nineteenth century. Originally intended to prevent the smell of > > > > smoke in the hair, hence the name, they became a general sort of > > > > informal evening cap for gentlemen relaxing at home. A bit of googling > > > > will show you many examples. > > Best > > > > > > > > Lloyd