Gorgeous 1870's Early Natural Form Dress with Paisley Print

From the seller:

1870's PROMENADE BUSTLED 1-PIECE GOWN WITH TRAIN MUSEUM DEACCESSIONED


This is an attractive summer promenade gown or tea dress of the 1870's period, that a mid to upper class woman would wear. A regal off white light weight sheer organdies 1 PIECE bustled gown with small paisley boteh motif prints.

Recently de-accessioned from the Rochester historical museum in New York state. The gown still retains it's original Museum ID string catalog tags, sewn on tags, as well as written into fabric ID catalog number.

I was certain that this gown would be worthy of a designer label, but it does not have a label.



The front of this gown is decorated with fancy pleated net lace trimmed stand up collar and accented with a satin bows down the front opening. The bodice has fabric covered button front closure. One top button has fabric loss. The cuffs are also are decorated with fancy net lace and satin ribbon bows. Both sides of the front opening has vertical pleating adorned with wide fancy machine lace. Pipping is found around top of shoulder arms, and down both sides of front closure.



The whole gown is lined with a off white organdy. No stays. The sleeves have a slight curve and tapering at the elbow.

The inner skirt lining closes by a hook and loop and has many ties to adjust the bustle effect.

The back gathers with fullness of material for a bustled effect and continues downward for a nice fall. The rear puff enhances the outfit nicely. The skirt is in very good condition.

Condition: The gown is in very good condition. Inside lining of bodice is very good, no underarm staining or discoloration. Any blue discoloration on dress and folds are camera flash distortions of color. Skirt has no pin holes or damage anywhere. Some lace detachment on stand up collar. A brown stain on bodice, chest area. Seams have been taken out under arms, down sides to waist area, and back area. Slight musty odor. A truly grand display gown for study.

MEASUREMENTS:

Bust 34",

Waist 25' - 26",

Sleeve Length 20" + lace.

Front Shoulder to hem 52-1/2",

Back neck line to hem 68",

Across shoulder 13"




Condition: The gown is in very good condition.

A truly grand display dress/gown for study or for display.

Antique clothing should not be worn.



From Me:

1876 Fashion Plate

1876 Fashion Plate

1876 Fashion Plate

So...the reasons I think it's from about 1876 - the collar style is from about then.  You can see a similar one in the last fashion plate.  The ribbons down the front were a huge fashion thing in the 1870s - you can see a similar style in the first fashion plate.  The way the skirt fits over the hips is more natural form and the fullness at the bottom of the skirt matches with the early natural form styles. 

Stunning Sheer 1870's Dress

From the seller:

Wonderful antique victiorian Edwardian ORGANDY embroidered trim flounce lace dress from 1860s-1870s.It's more like an incomplete dress made with white organdy and acorn embroidered trim, bodice, over-skirt and hem flounce.
Size:Bust 38", skirt waist 26", length of skirt 28"-40".
Very good and strong condition. Wearable.

From Me:

I think the seller was just trying to hit all the keywords. The dress is from the early 1870s. Imagine trying to make this on a foot powered sewing machine!  All those pleats!

1872 Fashion Plate

Natural Form Era Wedding Gown

From the seller:

1880 SATIN FLORAL BROCADE BUSTLE ONE PIECE TRAINED GOWN  MUSEUM DE-ACCESSIONED

This is an attractive reception gown of the 1880's period, that a mid to upper class woman would wear. A regal ivory/cream satin having gold and cream metallic floral brocade panel 1 PIECE in construction bustled trained gown. Together with the gown original pair of silk shoes.

Recently de-accessioned from the Metropolitan Museum of Art,  New York , New York.
Shadows or light on fabric is just sunshine spots.

The bodice is lined with tan cotton and fabric covered stays.  Has some small underarm damage and discoloration only on inside lining.  Bodice lining is very good.  Bodice  has some shredding on arms and front. One cuff needs to be reattached. Petersham and waist band has a stamped previous owners name "Mrs. H. Rhodes, Providence, R.I.


CONDITION:
The skirt closes by hooks and loops at the back and gathers with pleats in the back for a nice fall. Two side aprons, rear puff and kick pleats at hem line accents the skirt nicely. The waist band has some damage. Back of the skirt has a seam opening of 2" opening at waist band, any easy fix. Some small rips in the folds of the train. This can be tucked to conceal. 
The skirt is lined with a cream polished cotton and gauze.   Lining of skirt and train is in good condition. The skirt's brocade material is in very good condition, except for a brown stain that is pictured.
The silk shoes are in poor condition with the silk having started to shred on the toes and heels.
Condition: The gown is in fair to good condition. 
BODICE:  Bust 29-1/2",Waist 21", Sleeve Length 10-1/2"
Shoulder to waist 18",
Across shoulder 12"   Shoulder  to front hemline  55"
SKIRT: Front skirt length 38-1/2" Back length 100", waist 21" .


From Me:

1876 Fashion Plate

This is from the late First Bustle/early Natural Form era. The Met appeared to have a few gowns that looked like this and they are all listed as "1870s".  Based on the colors, the style, the materials, and the fact there are matching shoes saved with this dress, I'm pretty sure it was a wedding gown.

Monochorme Natural Form Day Dress

From the seller:

In fair - good preowned condition. Stain at bottom of jacket, back of jacket needs repair, hole near neckline.

Jacket - Bust 33.5, waist 28, hip 44.

Skirt - waist 26, hip free



From Me:

Although this is a simpler style, it's anything but boring. The dress looks to be wool and the weave itself is interesting. It looks like, at first, that the warp threads are white and black but with the black about every two or three warp thread. However, the polka dots show that isn't entirely the case. The trim at the edge of the dress (and on the skirt above the ruffles) is used more as a hem tape but to the outside. It was sewn, the wrong way, along the edge, and then folded up and sewn down against the material so it would show but also hide the raw edge. You can easily see the machine stitching on it in one of the photos. Based on the look of it, I'm pretty sure this was a lady's home made dress rather than a professionally made or catalogue bought dress.

1878 Fashion Plate

1878 Fashion Plate

Natural Form Bodice and Turn of the Century Shirtwaist

From the seller:

This auction includes a gorgeous blue velvet jacket or coat, and a white linen muslin shirt with the ruffle , circa 1880s.
The jacket features a beautiful satin lining with an interior pocket, book ended by matching bows. The top of the pocket is pleaded and there is velvet contrast across the pocket front. The initials KBP is embroidered on a piece of satin attached to the inside of the jacket.

All of the buttons have been removed from the jacket. It still has the metal closure at the neck. It is in excellent condition but has not been laundered. There is one tiny opening on the inside left sleeve about the size of a pea. Does not extend to the lining. It measures 16" inches across the flat bust, 12 1/2" inches across the flat waist, 17" at hip and 21" shoulder to sleeve cuff. It measures 14 inches across the back shoulders.

I am throwing the shirt in as a freebie. It has not been laundered and has some soiling. It features a fabulous ruffle on the front bottoms and it buttons in the back. All 17 buttons are present and accounted for. It features lace floral embellishments at the elbow and cuff. There is a tear in the back of the ruffle about size quarter.


From Me:

It's horrible that the buttons were removed but at least we can still see the exquisite detailing of this winter bodice! Check out the little pocket inside the bodice or that fabulous bit of embroidery which, I assume, was the original owner's initials.

1879 fashion Plate

Although the cut is different in a number of ways, I'm looking at the yellow dress on the far left. Notice how her collar dips back a bit? This seems to be a Natural Form thing as you don't see that much in the second bustle. The collar on this extant bodice does that too.

1880 Fashion Plate

The red dress on the far left has the same collar shaping going on.

As for the shirtwaist, any time between 1898-1903 really.  Here is a photo of a group of ladies from 1902 with one wearing a similar blouse:

1902 Photograph

1899 Fashion Plate

Although the wedding gown is far more fancy than this extant blouse, the lines for trimming are the same.