Monday, September 29, 2014

1880's Gauze Dress













From the seller:

Gauzey summer 1870 bustle gown trimmed in ruffles and needle lace. Size small. Bust 32 waist 25. Mending under arm and right sleeve. Patch and mended hole in back of skirt hidden by peplum of jacket displays beautifully . Slip is included but not chemise. Reserve is firm as it is the price paid for it. Shipping after August 10. International buyers are responsible for duties, however I will enter contents on duty form as 1870 vintage gown. Parasol is not included.

From Me:

It's an antique, not vintage. Anything over ~60 years old is an antique. Anything over an eon old is ancient.

Also, given how delicate the gauze looks, there is no way I'd put a parasol in the pocket - it will only rip the seams further.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

1880's Bustle Gown






From the seller:

An elegant 1880’s tan silk bustle dress that is accented with bands of brown and black pin stripe silk. The bodice has a long hip peplum and long center back panels. The bodice is lined with cotton and has a front button closures. The front panel on the skirt has ruching and bands of stripe silk. The hemline has two wide ruffles. The back of the skirt has a draped bustle panel. The skirt is lined with cotton. The dress is in good and sturdy condition. There is light underarm discoloration, a few tiny age spots and a couple of thin line soil marks on the shoulders and a few slightly larger then pencil tip size holes. None of the flaws are major and do not distract from the overall appearance. A very attractive display dress. Bust 34 Waist 24 ½ Skirt length 40.

From Me:

The display looks odd and I'm not a fan of the color but who doesn't like bustle dresses?

Turn of the Century Bodice









From the seller:

Victorian Silk Brocade Bodice w Lace / Mauve Silk Trim XS

This lovely Victorian bodice is made from black silk brocade trimmed with a band of lace over the shoulders to the bottom in front, it has a high collar a ruffle of mauve tissue silk and a lace ruffle, the embroidered lace ruffle goes down the front, backed in the mauve. The bottom of the sleeves have 3 slits to show the lace and mauve ruffle below and there's a gathered silk satin band around the bottom edge, the back has a large sideway bow. It's boned and lined in cotton calico, it was de-accessioned from a museum and has the inventory tag in the neck. It measures It's 30 1/2 inches around the bust, waist is 23, across the back shoulder is 10 1/4 inches and shoulder to center point front is 16 1/2 inches. The lace ruffle around the collar is torn, the lace down the front is good, needs a few hooks or eyes secured, overall excellent.


From Me:

I almost like the lining more than the black brocade fabric. :-) This is very late - probably about 1898/1899.

Late 1890's Bodice







From the seller:

DATING TO THE VICTORIAN 1890’S, FASHIONED OF CHARMEUSE SATIN WITH THE SLEEVES IN A BILLOWING PUFF WITH GROUPED PLEATING AT THE BOTTOM SLEEVE, OUTER SEAM IS TRIMMED IN SILK VELVET BOWS, ONE IS MISSING

PLEATS TRIM BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR WITH THE FRONT PANEL CLOSING INVISIBLY, EMBROIDERED MOIRE COVERED SILK WITH CHANTILLY LACE AND MATCHING SILK VELVET BOWS DOWN THE FRONT WITH A HIGH COLLAR AROUND THE NECKLINE

THREE MINOR PINHEAD HOLES ARE UNSEEN, THE PIECE IS OTHERWISE IN PRISTINE ANTIQUE CONDITION

MEASURES 34 INCHES AROUND THE BUST, 28 INCHES AROUND THE WAIST, AND 16 INCHES IN ITS LENGTH.


From Me:

A very lovely turn of the Century piece.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Regency Era Stays


From the seller:

An early and rare 1820’s cotton corset. It is all hand stitched. The front bust line has a gusset on each side. The hemline has four gussets, two in the front and two at the back. The corset has bone eyeholes for lacing. They are designed in a unique manner, instead of being placed into the cotton fabric they are held in place along the edge with multiple rows of looped thread. The corset is in crisp and clean condition. There is one very small pea size surface only hole on the edge of the hemline and one ¼ inch split near the front seam line. There are four missing bone eyeholes and just the threads remain. A great addition to an early textile collection. Bust 30 Waist 28.

From Me:

I love the bone eyelets/rings/insert your name for them here. I've never seen those attached to the outside edge of stays like that before. Normally, they appear either sewn in, as part of an eyelet, or they are rings attached about half an inch in from the lacing edge.

1850's dress redone in the 1860's style.


From the seller:

New to the market from an old Connecticut estate




Literally out of the trunk








Impressive Civil War mourning dress with pagoda sleeves





Authentic 1860s mourning dress made of lustrous black silk satin. It features a tight fitted bodice with six stays. It has dropped shoulders with exquisite ruching and pagoda sleeves bordered with chenille trim. The sleeves are lined in black silk (up to the elbows). The attached skirt has fine cartridge pleats. There is piping around the waist and armseye. Fully lined, the skirt in brown cotton, the bodice in beige cotton it has brass eye and hook back closure. There is an inserted panel in the back, made from different silk. Was it intended to make the top wider as the owner got bigger or to be worn by two different people? The dress retains both the original eyes and hooks and the panel has its own eyes. Hand sewn.



Underarm discoloration on lining as well as many spots; there may be a couple of small holes



Measurements taken flat:

length 51"

circumference bottom 147"

waist 24" and 29"



Remarkable example of Civil War fashion



Sold as is as found







Thank you



Please view my other listings for more unique 1860s and 1870s clothes from the same trunk


From Me:

The dress looks like it was originally made in the early 1850's (if not 1840's) based on the bodice lines. You can tell that front just wants to go down into a point, very badly! However, in the 1860's, the owner (or the owner's daughter) cut it to remake the dress in a more acceptable style for the 1860's.

Late 1860's Mourning (?) Dress











From the seller:

#1201, 1860's 2 pc Black Silk Civil War Dress: This bodice and skirt were made during the civil war period. It is made of black silk with beaded trim on the sleeves and black cotton lace. The bodice has a bust of 32, a waist of 23 and shoulders of 13.5. The skirt has a waist of 28, a length of 36.5 inches and is 144 inches around the bottom. The skirt was hemmed up an additional four inches which could be let back down. This was done years ago and there is wear and some scattered holes where that hem was pressed in. This does not show with the dress as it is but would show some if you let the hem back out. The waist was also made larger, and the cartridge pleating was taken out in the front and loosened to create the 28 inch waist it is now. This could be put back as it was. The condition of the silk is still soft and supple with the exception of the underarms. Each one has some wear, repairs and staining. See photos. The eleven buttons down the front are original. The lining is in good shape with some staining at the underarms. The gown displays well as you can see. I love the bodice with its beading and lace detail. The bidding will start at $0.99 with no reserve.

From Me:

My guess is about 1867. The beading looks to be jet - which would be appropriate for the later period of mourning. The waistline is too low for it to be much later and the skirt is too wide for it to be the early 1870's.