Textiles and Stuff

Description

This is a good example of a antique crinoline silk day dress of the mid-1860s. It is lilac in colour and is trimmed on the yoke and cuffs with bobbin lace of a Bedfordshire type. The bodice is fitted, with a narrow stand up collar and is lined in white cotton sateen. The yoke is trimmed with narrow dark lilac velvet ribbon in a folded line next to the lace. A row of decorative fabric buttons have been attached to the centre front. The bodice is not boned.

The sleeves are cut in a curved and tapered shape and also lined in cotton. The skirt seems to have been separate and attached in pleats to a waistband which is now missing, but the skirt has been lightly sewn to a modern band for photographic purposes. It is shown worn over a crinoline which is not included in the sale. The skirt is very full and is lined throughout in a stiff cotton fabric and the bottom hem is strengthened with a band of cotton sateen. There is a pocket in the side seam and the position seems to indicate that the skirt fastened at the front but not centrally. The dress is hand sewn.

There is very little damage. The stand up collar is a little frayed at the edge and there is an area of weakness in one place in the skirt where there are some small holes. This can be seen in the fourth photograph. There is some staining under the arms and some areas of fading down some panels of the skirt and on the right hand side of the bodice and right sleeve. Some small brown spots can also be seen in the photo of the bodice. However, the general appearance of the dress is good and fine for display, but I would not consider it robust enough for wear.

Dresses of this type are difficult to find as many of them were adapted to a a later fashion and re-styled.


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