Historical information

The evolution of the stiff shirt collar occurred in the 1830s when the detachable collar was "invented." At this time, the detachable collars were simply normal shirt collars like you’d see today, but sold separately from the shirt itself and needed to be kept in a container to keep them clean and accessible.
The detachable collars were a way to avoid the weekly laundry. Because collars and cuffs were both the most visible parts of shirts and the parts most likely to get dirty, separating them allowed people to do the shirt equivalent of only washing your armpits after you go to the gym. That meant that the main body of the shirt could remain soft while the collar and cuffs that were visible could be starched and shaped.
The popularity of detachable collars and starched collars, in general, began to fade in the 1920s and 30s. As shirt styles began to change. The advent of central heating, lighter weight fabrics, and a more relaxed social attitude to fashion all contributed to making men’s clothes more comfortable and less formal.

Significance

An item that was used to store detachable men’s shirt collars from the early 20th century at a time when men's fashion was more formal and how a person dressed especially for formal occasions dictated a person's social standing. The subject item comes from a time that gives a snapshot into the past at the social norms of the time.

Physical description

Collar box, leather, cylindrical, includes strap, buckle, stitching and cardboard lining and man's white collar

Inscriptions & markings

Collar inside box marked "CF652 Rexbilt Size 16 1/2 x 1 3/4"