18th Century Men’s Stocks

Last updated: Jan 7, 2024

• Christie’s Lot 321 / Sale 5422, a rare gentleman’s stock, fine linen gathered to tabs, one with three buttonholes
• Colonial Williamsburg 1993-166,A, neck stock attributed to George II, England, c. 1740-1760; “White neck stock of fine plain-woven linen. Long narrow shape with fine white fabric pleated lengthwise (to go around neck) and applied to unpleated backing fabric. The ends are designed to be worn with a stock buckle: on one end is a tab with three buttonholes; the other end has tapering tab. On the reverse of longer tab is a mark in fine red cross stitch consisting of a crown and the number 46.”
• A man’s neck stock, c. 1765-1830, in Fitting & Proper: “A black silk satin neck stock, molded and stiffened with buckram, lined with beige silk crepe and glazed black linen, with a metal buckle”
• DAR 927, white linen neck stock supposedly worn by George Washington, c. 1770-1800
• MFA 99.664.6, Massachusetts, last quarter of the 18th century; “Pleated neck stock, four button holes on shorter tab at one end, longer tapered tab at opposite end (Stocks were worn with a metal buckle at the back of the neck. The tab with buttonholes was slipped over knobs on the buckle, while the plain tab was pulled through the buckle.)”
• Colonial Williamsburg 1953-864 & 1953-863, England, 1780-1830; men’s stocks with hanging short bands “as worn by clergymen, barristers, and academics.” On 1953-864, the gathered stock and bands are made of cotton with linen tabs and tape ties; 1953-863 is made of linen in two different weights.
• Thomas Jefferson’s neck stocks, c. 1790-1825: Monticello 1927-55, 1927-56-1, 1927-56-2, 1935-9, 1983-14-4, 1983-14-5, 1983-14-6, 1983-14-7, 1983-14-8, 2021-8-9
• Colonial Williamsburg 2008-114 (Meg Andrews 6829?), neck stock owned by John Knight of Wolverley, England, c. 1795-1811 (or c. 1780?); “White neck stock made with semi-sheer cotton gathered to two linen tabs. One tab has four buttonholes for use with a removable stock buckle. Other tab is tapered and rounded at ends. Cotton material consists of about 62 inches of fullness gathered into 3-inch tabs.”
• Meg Andrews 7513, gentleman's stock, 1795-1810; “47 inches of fine soft cotton have been gathered into the width of the stock with the lower side open and unseamed … of fine cotton gathered into double thickness tabs, one end with two buttonholes, 18 x 6 1/2 in”
• Meg Andrews 7321, linen, late 18th or early 19th century; “white linen gently curved down at ends, one large hole hand embroidered as if a buttonhole, for tapes to thread through, tapes to each end, 3 in or 8 cm centre depth x 23 in or 59 cm length”
• Met 08.187.8, early 19th century, British

Stock buckles

Stock buckles were often precious and expensive items; silver or gold stock buckles are often mentioned as gifts – or as items that have been stolen.

For recommendations on where to get stock buckles, see Kannik's Korner's suggestions for neck stock buckles (to go with their patterns for neck stocks). Other sutlers selling reproductions of stock buckles include At the Eastern Door, Wm. Booth Draper, Nehelenia Patterns, and The Quartermaster General. You can also find original and reproduction 18th century stock buckles on eBay.

• Fort Dobbs Artifacts
• A.H. Wilkens Jan 05 2016, Lot 150, a stock buckle and matching breeches buckles made in Boston c. 1750
• Historic New England 1925.368b, silver, Ipswitch, Massachusetts, c. 1757-1800
• V&A 951-1864, a silver stock buckle with pastes, England, c. 1770
• Alderfer Jun 12 2008, Lot 2010, a neck stock buckle that “Belonged to Jas Adams, Born June 18, 1748”
• LACMA 42.16.24, a gilt-metal stock buckle, England, c. 1778-1795
• V&A M.1-1934, a silver stock buckle with a steel chape, England, c. 1780
• Historic New England 1931.315, silver, America, c. 1780-1800
• Cowper's Stock Buckle: A Material World
• A.H. Wilkens Apr 17 2012, a pair of late 18th century silver stock buckles