While searching for black cotton fabrics I stumbled across black cotton hosiery...not as obscure as I thought. I look for advertisements from different sellers and locations. Many are reprinted in newspapers through out the year, I listed one example to illustrate what was listed for sale, also if they specified "ladies' or women". When it only listed hose (no gender) may be men's. I believe most are imported and machine made as there are no references to home knit.
Edgefield Advertiser, (SC) Nov. 1859
LADIES'
Alexander, White, Black and Fancy Colored KID GLOVES;
Ladies' GAUNTLETS;
Ladies Merino and Silk VESTS, with or without Sleeves
Low Priced and Super Black Silk HOSE;
.."......."......"......."....... "....Cotton..."
Black Raw Silk HOSE;
Black Moravian HOSE;
Misses' Cotton and Wool HOSE, at
J.&A.J. SETZE'S.
(1st. col)
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026897/1859-11-23/ed-1/seq-4/
Edgefield Advertiser, (SC) Aug. 1863
NEW GOODS!
500Yds. Handsome English Prints;
Five Pieses English ?ONG CLOTH;
Ladies' Linen HANDERCHIEFS;
Gents'....do......do
Ladies' Black Cotton HOSE;
..."......Mixed....."........"
Misses..".........."........"
Ladies' SILK BELTS;
Also a great variety of other desirable Goods,
just received by E.PENN, Agt.
(4th col)
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026897/1863-08-12/ed-1/seq-2/
Sunbury American, (PA) Nov. 1863 (& March 1864)
MOURNING GOODS!
Black Glossy Silks,
4-4 Black Cashmeres;
Super Black Mohairs,
Fine Black Alpaccas,
Black and Purple Delains,
White and Black Figured Delaines,
Black Crepe Maretz,
Lupins Black all wool Delaines,
Black Silk Bereges,
Good Black Degege,
Plain Black Gingrams,
Plain Black Calicoes,
Neat Figured Black Calicoes,
Fine Black Sack Flannels,
Black Love Veils,
Jouvins Black Kid Gloves,
Black Silk Gauntletts,
Black Gloves in Variety,
Fine Mourning Handkerchiefs,
Black cotton and wool Hosiery,
Black Tibet and Wool Shawls,
&c., &c., &c.,
A nice line of the above goods now
pen and for sale at low prices
E.Y. BRIGHT & SON.
(4th. col)
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026403/1863-11-28/ed-1/seq-3/
Juliet Signal (ILL), July 1861
HOSIERY AND GLOVES
Our stock of Ladies' White, Brown, Slate and Black Cotton Hosiery is complete.
(2nd col.)
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024082/1861-07-30/ed-1/seq-3/
The Daily Dispatch, (VA) Dec. 1864
AUCTION SALES.
1 lot White and Black Cotton Hosiery,
(4th col)
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024082/1861-07-30/ed-1/seq-3/
Cleveland Morning Leader. (OH) July 1858
ANNOUNCEMENT.
Hosiery-Hosiery,
(lists colors to include)
Ladies Black Cotton Hose
(5th col.)
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83035143/1858-07-08/ed-1/seq-3/
The Daily Dispatch (VA) Aug. 1858
JUST RECEIVED PER STEAMER
Ladie's White, Mixed and Black Cotton Hose, at all prices
(2nd col)
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024738/1858-08-02/ed-1/seq-4/
Cincinnati Daily Press (OH) April 1860
HOSIERY!
1,000 pairs Ladies' Slate, Black, White and Unbleached.
COTTON HOSE
(5th col)
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84028745/1860-04-03/ed-1/seq-2/
I have also seen advertisements for ladies cotton stockings in British newspapers.
Update...looking for earlier advertisements for black cotton, did not see any before 1841...but...never say never
New-York Tribune.(NY) April 1841
HOSIER of every description, black and white English silk for
6d, 8s, and 12s per pair;cotton black, white and colored, both ribbed and plain.
J.H.Bockover & Co.
New-York Tribune (NY), Oct. 1841 (1842)
HOSIERY AND GLOVES
A complete stock comprising ever variety of each adapted to the present season.
Black Cotton Hose
Brown & Urquhart
New-York Tribune (NY), March 1843
William Hern, ...
Fine black, white and slate Cotton Hose...
Vermont Phoenix, (VT) April 1844
Spring Importaion
TOWNE, WALDO & CO
--Offer for sale--
Hosiery, Gloves, etc.
White, unbleached, black and colored Cotton Hose; plaine, imperial, ribbed, open work and embroidered;...
Fancy Cotton Bags, open-work and chene; [wonder what kind of bags these are???]
Burlington Free Press (VT), May 1845
New Goods
P&H.H. Doolittle have just received form New York...
Ladies white, Unbleached, black and colored Cotton Hose,...
Daily Atlas, (Boston, MA), January 1843
DRY GOODS
CHACEGREW & CO, 79-81 Milk steet, have received by the late arrivals from England and France, One Hundred and seventy packages of new and desirable goods,....
Worsted Hosiery;
Merino "
White and black Cotton " (hosiery)
The Civilan and Galveson City Gazette (Galveston, TX)
IMPORTATION DIRECT FROM LONDON
The subsribers respectfully inform the citizens of Galveston, and the residents to Texas in general, that the Brig Mary Barry has just arrived here form London, with a (?...)
splendid assortment of merchandize....
HOSIERY, GLOVES, ETC.
Comprising....Black Cotton and Worsted Hose
Weekly Houston Telegraph (Houston, TX)
Hosiery, Gloves, etc.
Comprising...Ladies white and fancy cotton hose embroidered; black, cotton and worsted hose....
The Southern Patriot, (Charleston, SC) March, 1843
Package and Lot Sale
By Dick & Holmes...
Cases White, Slate and Black Cotton Stockings...
The Southern Patriot, (Charleston, SC) April, 1843
Hosiery, Gloves and Domestics
Ladies' white and black Cotton HOSE,...
O.&G TAYLOR.
New-Hampshire Gazette (Portsmouth, NH) July, 1844
Mourning Goods...
Super Black Gotton Hose, open work, ribbed and plain...
Southern Patriot, (Charleston, SC) Jan. 1845
1 case Women's good quality fine Black Cotton Stockings, at 25 cents
1 case Women's extra heavy fine Black Cotton Stockings...
Mordeci & Colburn
Southern Patriot, (Charleston, SC) April, 1845
English Hosiery & Gloves
Hose...
Ladies white Cotton, plain and open work
Ladies colored and black Cotton
Misses' white Cotton, plain and open work
Misses' colored and Black Cotton...
Clarken & Tevlin
Southern Patriot, (Charleston, SC) Feb.1846
Cheap Spring Goods,
Ketchum & Thomas...
White and Black Cotton Hose, at 12 1/2
The Boston Daily Atlas (MA) April, 1848
By Whitwells & Seaver
2 cases White and black Cotton Hosiery.
Daily Atlas (Boston, MA) May, 1850
Hosiery, &c., &c.
Haughton, Sawyer & CO...
Women's white and mixed col'd Cotton Hose'
Women's black Mor (?) col'd Hose
Women's blue mixed and slate col'd Hose
Women's (stout ?) ribbed black Cotton Hose
Women's Imperial ribbed, stlate col'd, white and black.
The Constitution (Middletown, CT) July 1852
New Goods
50 doz. Cotton Hose, 6 1-4 cts,
Black Cotton Hose, 6d.
The Boston Daily Atlas (MA) March, 1855
By Edward F. Hall
Dry and Fancy Goods and Woolens...
Consisting of a large assortment of ladies' white, brown mixed and black cotton Hosiery-white and mixed ribbed do- misses white and slate cotton Hose-...
The Macon Daily Telegraph, (GA) Jan. 1864
Just Received from Late
Package Sales...
Ladies' White and Black Cotton and Silk Hose
