Bustle Era Bodice out of 18th Century Silk Lampas

From the seller:

Circa early 18THC a Venetian silk floral Damask fabric on this jacket with inner stays and the museum has attached information attached which says that the gift was given by a Mrs Mc Cormack.The first pictures seems to show the back seam to one side but that is not the case..the seam is in the middle, we had not properly placed it on the mannequin.The front of the bodice is square shaped with buttons holes that might have been added later?It seems like the lace was added at a later date and that the bodice is actually much earlier.There are 8 inner stays.In mainly good strong condition, the buttons are missing,there is loss on soem of the silk embroidery and natural age related wear.Overall good..

From Me:

Although there is no denying the bodice fabric is from the 18th century - probably about the 1750's- the cut and the construction of the bodice is all Victorian. With the centennial going on around 1876, there was a lot of destruction of antique garments to remake them into modern Victorian clothing - starting in the 1870's. My guess is this is from about 1874 based on the cut of the bodice. The way there looks to be a slight bit of a basque waist going on as well as the very Victorian lace. The only thing 18th c about this bodice is the fabric.