Monday, February 13, 2012

Wedding Gown Turn of the Century











From the seller:

This is an authentic antique Victorian bustle wedding gown from my mothers and grandmothers collection of antique clothing. It has been dated to 1887. It is made of luxerious silk brocade, and the train is connected to blouse.

The yolk of the dress has criss crossed silk pleats. The sleeves have a leg o mutton top and taper at the cuffs. The buttons accent the jacket and are wood with brocade covering. There is a pleated cumberbun that is attached at one side and is a full 5" wide.

It has an inside closing of hooks and riveted eyes, over this lies the pleated yolk that attaches with another set of hooks and eyes at the side. It is beautifully tapered at the waist and has several stays.

The skirt has 5 inches of smocking at the waist in the front and partially arround the side. The bustle part in the back of the skirt is not made of silk, but cotton and expands formidabaly. A bustle undergarment is not included. As is the cameo pictured at the neck... which is costume, but an antique cameo would look beautiful there.

It has a high collar that wraps arround the neck and attaches at the side, again with hook and eye. There are no buttons, other than the ornamental ones on the dress.

The brocade is still in good-strong shape. The pleats at the yolk could do with some resewing, there are there but loose. Lace trim arround the train looks good, but the dress is in need of a gentle cleaning as it has been in storage for a great deal of time. There is one soil mark on the train that should come out.

I only see two issues with the dress. The silk yolk has some pin holes at the breast area, where likely a corsage was pinned and repinned. There is a small rust mark on one of the pin holes. The other is the color of the dress on the inside of the pleats looks a light pink, as if the dress at one time was pink and then over the years faded to a gentle ivory color. One thing that has remained steadfast, however is the loveliness of this brocade fabric.

Measurements are collar: 14" long

Bust: 32" underarm to underarm

Wrist width 9"

Jacket- shoulder to hem in front 16"

Train from waist to tip of train- 5'

Skirt- waist 24" Waist to hem in front 40" waist to hem in back 43"


From Me:

I'd love to know who dated this because they are a good 10 years off. You can see a strikingly similar style shown in this 1898 fashion plate to this dress. (I'd also like to know who taught this poor seller how to spell but that's a completely different subject.)

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