Object ID
2013.16.2
Object Name
Waistcoat
Date Created
circa 1880
Alternative Name
Phermeli
Object Entities
Kremidas, George (owned by)
Apostle, James (is related to)
Apostle, Geraldine (is related to)
Kremidas, George (is related to)
Object Description
This jacket is a deep navy blue with red embroidered decoration. The front has a long row of bubble like buttons and looped button holes that are accented by a swirling floral pattern that follows the line of the buttons. Both the collar and the hem have thick borders of decoration. The shoulders of the jacket do not fully attach to the body of the piece so the bottom of the seem is left open. The shoulder is decorated with another intricate swirling floral pattern that is widest at the shoulder and tapers down towards the elbow. There are red accents all long the sleeves. On the backside just above where the elbow would fit, there is another floral pattern that feeds into a long triangle, the point of which extends down all the way to the cuff. The back of the jacket has limited decoration, only a couple of strategic lines that shape the piece and a small triangle at the small of the back.
Origin
This outfit was worn by Mr. Kremadas from the time he was twenty until he was quite old (approximately 1880-1960). The phermeli is a military jacket that traces it origins to the uniforms of the Klephts who fought the Ottman Turks in the War for Greek Indepedence. Since this jacket does not have any bars or colored panels it is most likely military inspired instead of military issued. Also there is no evidence in the donor file that George was in the military.

George Kremidas and his wife Despina lived in the Greek village of Dessila, Greece. Dessila is a tiny village in the area of Messenia on the Peloponnese. Their daughter Angeliki, the third of five children, was the only member of the immediate family to emmigrate to America. While living in New England, she married Nicholas Apostolos and subsequently gave birth to two sons: George and James. The family moved to Michigan and both sons served in the military during World War II. Afterwards both sons earned degrees from Worsham College of Mortuary Scieince in Chicago and opened a mortuary in Muskegon, Michigan together. James married Geraldine Pavlis. In 1960 the two left to visit his family in Greece, however, on the day of their departure George Kremidas (James' grandfather) passed away at the age of 98. The personal artifacts included in this accession were given to the Apostles during this trip.
Rights and Reproduction
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Citation
Waistcoat, circa 1880, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/9817. Accessed 04/26/24.