Mid 1850's Ball Gown

From the seller:
Wonderful and definitive textile design of the period warp printed silk on this picked skirt and bodice. Probably French silk. Bodice with bell sleeves white silk lining with tiny box pleats here, front point to bodice with stays with fancy silk trims and charming little silk dangling balls. Back hook and eye closure with piping on edges and draw string along the off the shoulder decollete. Skirt has had it's waist band taken off and all of the cartridge pleating taken out and is one long piece, hem trimmed in the fancy silk trim. Overall fair to good uncleaned antique condition, bodice missing some of the print as applique at the back with mositure staining on skirt and scattered age/storage pindot holes with some vertical splits starting in the skirt as found. I have listed and will be listing many early outfits all deaccessioned from major NYC musuem this week. Chest measures 32", waist 22" sleeves 16", width of fabric 40" with 140" length.

From Me:

I think this is someone's UFO from 160 years ago. I think she may have been going for something like this:

From the Kyoto Museum

And realized she didn't have enough yardage to do the ruffles on the skirt like that.

1857