Distribution of Some of the Death Clothes

[ReignetteC]

Laurie,

I should think Mr. Lincoln's clothing measurements would be of interest . . . .

In October of 1863, Brooks Brothers sent a representative to the Executive Mansion to "take the measure of His Excellency the President for clothing." Unfortunately, we don't have any further record of that visit which, of course, would have included Mr. Lincoln's clothing measurements.

More than a century later, however, Brooks Brothers partnered with the National Park Service, the Department of the Interior, and Ford's Theatre Museum with regard to the preservation of Mr. Lincoln's overcoat. (The occasion was the renovation of Ford's Theatre Museum in 1990.)

Brooks Brothers donated funds to conserve the original overcoat, and it made (and donated) a replica. As it undertook the making of the replica, Brooks Brothers worked with a textile preservation company and took precise measurements of the original overcoat.

Some measurements from the original overcoat are as follows:

Neck: 14 1/2"
Sleeve: The sleeve measures 24" in length and 14" around the wrist.
Full Length of Back: 51 1/2"

I'll dig through my files and find more measurements. To be continued . . .