Black wool double-tiered capelet with bows

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A black double-tiered cape with decorative bows and buckles. Both tiers of the cape are constructed from two semi-circles of black wool twill that are stitched together at the center back. The top tier is shorter, measuring 9.75” in length, while the longer tier measures 22”. Each shoulder has two darts for shaping. There is a black grosgrain ribbon at each collar’s lapel with two loops and a knot. Each ribbon is held in place by two metal straight pins and a tacking stitch. A black rectangular buckle with black faceted squares is sewn on top of each black ribbon with taking stitches and the buckle’s metal prong punctures the ribbon knot’s center. The capelet opens at the center front and fastens with four sets of metal hook and eye closures. The metal eyes are located on a 6” long self-fabric panel sewn to the capelet’s proper left edge.

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