Friendship Company Cape
date: label: date made
content: ca 1840
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: Some early American firefighters wore capes for protection, ornamentation, and identification. The stiff oil cloth protected their shoulders and upper body against fiery embers and water, and the decorative painting served to identify company members at chaotic fire scenes or on parade. The capes were often painted by local sign painters, some skilled artists like John A. Woodside, who also painted the company’s hats and banners and decorated their fire engines. Many of the capes in the firefighting collection display patriotic names and symbolism, reflecting themes important to 19th century volunteers, as well as the pride they felt in the early founding date of their fire company.
label: Description
content: This oil cloth cape is painted red overall with a gold trim. A black banner in the center of the cape reads “FRIENDSHIP” in gold text with the date “1775” in gold below, and the letter “F” in gold on each end. The cape likely belonged to a member of the Friendship Fire Company of Wilmington, Delaware, which was founded in December of 1775. In addition to patriotic ideals, early fire companies also lauded altruistic social values, with names like “Good Will,” “Hope,” and “Harmony.”
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
topic: label: used
content: Fire Fighting
label: used
content: Fraternal Associations
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
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content: Cultures & Communities
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content: Clothing & Accessories
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content: Work
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content: Firefighting Collection
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content: Firefighting Capes
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: McCosker, M.J.. The Historical Collection of the Insurance Company of North America
label: Related Publication
content: McCosker, M.J.. The Historical Collection of Insurance Company of North America
label: Related Publication
content: Heritage of Flames
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0233.0125
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0125
objectType: label: Object Name
content: cape, fire uniform
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: oil cloth (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: paint (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 27 in x 42 1/2 in; 68.58 cm x 107.95 cm