While bouncing around the WWW looking for photos to include in the Vintage Fashion Guild's Instagram account (follow us at https://www.instagram.com/vintagefashionguild/) I came across this interesting "matchbox" with a smiling baby in a folded shirt at the Cooper Hewitt Museum (NYC) website. A wee bit coffin-like, right? At the same time - delightful. Folded Shirt with Child's Head for "New York Clothing House, Baltimore." Matchsafe, late 19th century; USA; brass; 7 x 3 x 1.6 cm (2 3/4 x 1 3/16 x 5/8 in. ); Gift of Stephen W. Brener and Carol B. Brener; 1982-23-1241
Adorable! I can see a daddy going to the bed to reach for his freshly laid out dress shirt, and seeing his new baby smiling up at him! My mind did not go to it looking like a coffin, to me it looks like a bunting......but now that you mention it........ Thank you, MJ!
I wonder if it was an advertising gimmick - babysoft shirts perhaps? This is the idea Persil washing powder has run on for decades afterall!
