Franklin's Suit
date: label: Date made
content: 1778
name: label: associated person
content: Franklin, Benjamin
notes: label: Description
content: This three-piece silk suit, originally a dark plum color that has faded to a brownish hue, consists of a coat, waistcoat, and breeches. It belonged to a Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, and is thought to have been made in France around 1778, the year the Treaty of Alliance between the United States and France was signed. Franklin, the American Minister to France from 1776 until 1785, was a key figure in Franco-American politics and often present at the court of King Louis XVI. This plain suit would have created a stark visual contrast between Franklin and those in the elaborate dress commonplace for the opulent French Court.
label: Description
content: Benjamin Franklin was very aware of the messages that clothing could convey to others. He, as well as several other prominent Americans including Washington and Jefferson, was well versed in the fashion and textiles of the time. These educated men selected their wardrobe carefully as to match their social stature and political agendas. Franklin crafted his appearance knowing that it was a powerful visual symbol. This plain, but well-tailored, suit speaks to Franklin as a “simple republican.”
label: Description
content: This suit represents one of only three hundred known Franklin artifacts still in existence. It symbolizes not only Franklin’s person style, but also his skill at using clothing as a way to communicate with others.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Costume
label: See more items in
content: Clothing & Accessories
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2012.0187.001
label: catalog number
content: 249722.001
label: accession number
content: 2012.0187
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Suit, 3 Piece
label: Object Type
content: Man
label: Object Type
content: Suit
label: Object Type
content: Main Dress
label: Other Terms
content: Suit, 3 Piece; Entire Body; Main Dress; Male
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: silk (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: linen (lining material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 43 in x 16 in; 109.22 cm x 40.64 cm
label: Measurements
content: coat back: 31 in; 78.74 cm
label: Measurements
content: breeches: 20 1/2 in; 52.07 cm
label: Measurements
content: breeches inseam: 15 in; 38.1 cm
label: Measurements
content: coat arm inseam: 33 in; 83.82 cm
label: Measurements
content: coat arm sleeve (outer seam): 33 in; 83.82 cm