Seed Pearl Necklace and Bracelets

[kerry]

Interestingly, nearly every mention of Mary in 1861 includes that she is "plump," and quite a few add "not handsome." It was certainly something they noted, but I think in a modern context we take it to be more insulting than it was meant - in the absence of widespread photography, they matter-of-factly reported on people's physical characteristics. Even in an age of coddling women's reputations, they were quite open in their judgments. What confuses me is that in the picture of Mary with the visiting Native Americans, Nicolay, and Kate Chase, and in the one of her on the log flume, she seems quite thin. I figured she stopped eating after Willie died. The photo of her seated from her widowhood shows more weight on her, but not to the point of being plump. Yet it seems that the press never commented on her losing weight, maybe because she wasn't giving entertainments in 1862, and then she regained most of it in 1863. When were her 1861 photos taken? When they go to Washington or later on?

Another thing that makes me wonder are the reports that surfaced in late 1861 that she was pregnant. I was surprised that it would be discussed so openly at the time. It seems to have originated with the Boston Transcript, which was a credible paper, and it claimed to have an unimpeachable source. I wonder if she could have had a miscarriage that led to weight loss and compounded the trauma of Willie's death.

Here are my references re: the dress color

“Senator Douglas, faithful among the faithless, gallantly gave his arm to Mrs. Lincoln. A few hours and a good dressmaker had transformed that simple little woman into quite a belle. She was tastefully attired in a very becoming blue gown, and she carried a large fan and an immense bouquet"[1]


[1] https://archive.org/stream/whenlincolnwa...k_djvu.txt

"Mrs. L. shows us, in her choice of blue on this occasion, as the color which suits her fair complexion best, that she is no stranger to the beautiful science of the toilet."[1]


[1] Friday, March 8, 1861  Paper: Cincinnati daily press (Cincinnati, Ohio)

"All I can say is that she was tastefully and richly arrayed in blue and white, with a beautiful wreath, rising infant like a crown, upon her head." (March 29 Evansville Journal's Washington correspondent)