A Revolutionary Discovery!

A Revolutionary Discovery!

George Washington’s inauguration ball coat, worn during celebrations following his 1789 inauguration as the first President of the United States, is a remarkable piece of American history.

Preserved at Morristown, the coat appears tannish-gold, but was it always this color? During careful conservation, tiny silk fibers naturally shed from the garment. Conservators analyzed the fibers at the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute using DART-MS (Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry), a sensitive technique that identifies dye compounds. The analysis revealed subtle traces of red, pink, and plum, confirming what conservators had suspected: Washington’s coat/suit was originally a rich, vibrant plum.

Plum-tastic! The second image shows a reproduction of the suit in that original color, created by Philip De Paola. The third image demonstrates how plum silk fades over time with a swatch left in sunlight for seven months turned golden-tan, strikingly similar to the coat’s current appearance. It’s a vivid reminder that sunlight and time have been among the greatest forces shaping this 230+ year-old textile.

You can see this incredible piece of history this summer Morristown National Historical Park in New Jersey.

Image 1: Original 1789 inauguration night coat of George Washington from the Morristown NHP Washington Headquarters Museum collection, displayed flat for preservation, showing faded golden-tan silk with faint traces of plum. (Not a cake)
Image 2: Reproduction of Washington’s inaugural night suit by Fashion Institute of Technology graduate Philip De Paola, displayed in the Ford Mansion parlor, featuring a plum-colored silk coat, waistcoat, and breeches.
Image 3: Reproduction displayed alongside silk swatches demonstrating how plum silk fades to golden-tan after seven months in sunlight—mirroring the aging of the original coat.
Image 4: Reproduction coat and suit in plum color on display.