Wig Curler- Stafford County, VA (3D)
Institution: George Washington's Ferry Farm and Historic Kenmore
State: Virginia
Object: Curler
Era: 18th Century
In the 18th century, most men wore “perukes”, also known as powdered wigs. George Washington did not wear a wig, but he did care for his hair as if he wore one. Washington was known to powder his real hair and his wife gifted locks of his hair in frames, paper, and jewelry.
Despite Washington’s preferences, over 200 wig curlers were recovered from his first home on Ferry Farm. The Washington family resided in the home between 1738 and 1772, but George Washington left in his early 20s (1754). Based on this timeline, archaeologists believe that the curlers belonged to his four brothers- all wig wearers.
Historical documents suggest that wig care was a major expense for the household. Wigs were washed and re-curled at least once a week, so affluent men owned a second wig for consistent wear. George’s brother Samuel, for example, purchased a gray peruke which required two rows of tiered curls on both sides of the face. If all four brothers had two wigs with similar styles, it may account for the volume of curlers found on the premises.
Aside from volume, archaeologists also examined the residues found on the curlers. Some of the residue came from traditional hair powder made with flour and kaolin clay. Other curlers, however, showed evidence of “contaminated” hair powder, which replaced kaolin clay with plaster of Paris. The Washingtons may have accidentally purchased contaminated hair powder from a vendor or purposefully used it to cut down the cost of maintaining so many wigs.
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