The Vantine connection is intriguing. As some know, the Clemenses liked 
"Oriental" designs. The chair Twain used at his Chippendale revival desk 
was an Eastlake-inspired design of imitation bamboo. I have the desk, 
but not the chair, which is unlocated. When Twain and Cable visited the 
Rookwood pottery factory in Ohio, among the pieces Twain bought was a 
"tiger-eye" pot painted with swimming turtles copied from a book of 
drawings by a famous Japanese artist. Livy was using delicate imported 
wood veneer writing paper imprinted with Japanese style balloons (or 
fans?) in the 1880s. Vantine's imported pottery, furniture, clothing, 
and all sorts of bric-a-brac.

But Twain was wearing white suits long before he began wearing them 
year-round after his famous appearance before Congress in 1905, so if 
Vantine's was having white suits made for him in 1907, this makes them a 
likely candidate as his supplier before that date. I hope they kept the 
receipts!

Kevin
@
Mac Donnell Rare Books
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Austin TX 78730
512-345-4139
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You can browse our books at:
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------ Original Message ------
From: "Matthew Seybold" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: 2/17/2021 9:17:52 AM
Subject: Re: Who made the white suit?

>Oooo. That's interesting! Vantine's has a fascinating history of its own!
>Thanks, Leslie. So far I'm coming up empty on Young's in New York, though
>it does seem like their might have been one in Connecticut. Will keep
>digging. Thanks, y'all. I at least have some new leads! - MS
>
>On Wed, Feb 17, 2021 at 9:54 AM Leslie MYRICK <[log in to unmask]>
>wrote:
>
>>  Isabel Lyon mentions in her notebook for 1907 that several white silk
>>  jackets were made at A. A.Vantine & Co. in NY,
>>
>>  On Wed, Feb 17, 2021 at 9:46 AM Steve Courtney <
>>[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>  > Matt, the catalogue for the 2002 Mark Twain House exhibit, "Modesty Died
>>  > When Clothes Were Born," quotes from a New York Herald story of February
>>  5,
>>  > 1907, "Mark Twain Has a Suit of White for Evening Wear." The catalogue
>>  says
>>  > he had fifteen white suits. The full Herald story, and perhaps an earlier
>>  > one, "Mark Twain's Views, His Discourses on Clothes and Copyright at the
>>  > Capital" (New York Tribune, December 8, 1906, dealing with that famous
>>  > first appearance highlighted by Shelden) might mention a maker.
>>  >
>>  > Steve Courtney, Curatorial Volunteer
>>  > The Mark Twain House & Museum
>>  > 351 Farmington Avenue
>>  > Hartford, Connecticut 06105
>>  > 860-302-8969
>>  >
>>  >
>>  > Even though The Mark Twain House & Museum is temporarily closed to the
>>  > public, we are still offering many online programs. Visit our website<
>>  > https://marktwainhouse.org/> for virtual programming, and the most
>>  > up-to-date information on all things Mark Twain House & Museum.  If you
>>  are
>>  > able, consider making a donation<
>>  > https://ci.ovationtix.com/35359/store/donations/>.
>>  >
>>  >
>>  >
>>  > ________________________________
>>  > From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Matthew Seybold <
>>  > [log in to unmask]>
>>  > Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2021 9:09 AM
>>  > To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>>  > Subject: Who made the white suit?
>>  >
>>  > This one has so far stumped me. Is there any record of which clothier(s)
>>  > made Twain's white suits? I've seen several references to them as
>>  > "custom-made," but so far no reference to whose custom. I know he had
>>  > several for different seasons and occasions. Anybody know where I can
>>  find
>>  > more detail?
>>  >
>>  > - MS
>>  >
>>  > --
>>  > Matt Seybold
>>  > Assistant Professor of American Literature & Mark Twain Studies
>>  > Elmira College
>>  > Editor, MarkTwainStudies.org
>>  > MattSeybold.com
>>  >
>>
>
>
>--
>Matt Seybold
>Assistant Professor of American Literature & Mark Twain Studies
>Elmira College
>Editor, MarkTwainStudies.org
>MattSeybold.com
>