Thursday, December 17, 2015

Gretel from Hansel and Gretel does 1860's Dress






From the seller:

A unique 1860’s mauve and black pin stripe changeable silk matching skirt, cape and separate hood that has recently been de-accessioned from the Rochester Historical Society Museum collection. The ensemble also comes with a dark blue velvet waist cincher. The blouse is not included and is for display purposes only. This type of ensemble would have been worn with a Garibaldi styled blouse. The fabric has a changeable quality depending on the light reflection. There is no discoloration. The cape has a dark mauve cotton tie closure with tassels. The hood is lined with white silk and has a cotton tie closure. The skirt and cape are lined with cotton. The ensemble is in very good and sturdy condition. There are no splits or holes in the fabric. The cape has one dime size age spots and a couple of other tiny age spots. There are a few light spots on the front of the skirt that are barely noticeable. Skirt waist 24 Length 38

From Me:

This would have been much more purple back in the day - it's faded considerably over the years. The velvet corsage may or may not have been original. Also, you'd never wear a Garibaldi styled blouse with a corsage - you'd wear it with a waist or what was called a spencer at the time. (Click on the links for longer explanations of the terms. These are constantly confused terms even in re-enactor circles._

My guess, based on the shape of the skirt, is this is post American Civil War - about 1866.

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