Tuesday, November 22, 2011

1890's Bodice in Blue and Red








From the seller:

This is a stunning Victorian bodice, most probably from the 1890s (note the puffed upper sleeve) and full of elegant and subtle detail.

It's a very fine wool with a scatter pattern of leaf-like shapes and satin stitch rows of circles and dots. The center front is pleated silk with a similar, toning pattern, and with minimal shattering.

It has heavy boning inside, professionally done (as is the whole bodice), and the 3 hooks at the lower center back for fastening the heavy skirt.

There is a 5" wide stiffened partial circle lower skirt that looks like it is pleated but is really the clever cutting.

There is a huge collar edged in wonderful black beading on red silk, very elegant. The beading also appears on the bodice, to follow the line from the long collar points. There are sharply pointed "epaulettes" at the shoulder tops, also with the beading. The beading is in good shape, with a few places missing a bead or two.
At the waist is a 2" wide colorful watered silk ribbon pleated along the waist and finishing at the front in 2 stiff and poofy bows! The colors must have faded some, because they do not seem to "go" with the red of the beading.

The wool has several holes, which are to be expected, on one sleeve top and on the lower "skirt". There may well be more but they must be very small.

Measurements, laid flat, are:
Bust:
Sleeve length: 22"
Center back to waist: 15"
Shoulder to shoulder: 9"

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