Antique Striped Silk Gown, with tatted
lace trim & pagoda sleeves
circa 1860
Description and Design: This antique silk
day dress is truly stunning. A single piece, with the bodice and
skirt sewn together inside at the waist, it’s fashioned from a lightweight,
lustrous black silk fabric with a variegated horizontal pinstriped
striped pattern in chestnut brown & white. Designed as special
day dress for outings & receiving guests, it has a demure look and all of
the fashion hallmarks of the civil war era. It features a very full
pleated skirt (~140” sweep) with a hidden pocket just left of center, raised waistline,
and fitted bodice. The bodice has a Garibaldi cut, with a low
shoulder line, piped seams, and full pagoda sleeves—these are partially lined
on the forearms in ivory silk satin which was meant to be seen in lieu of
engageantes (undersleeves) and polished cotton on the upper
arms. The bodice closes in the front with several pairs of
metal/brass hooks and eyes under the buttons which are only
decorative. The sleeves are trimmed in a lovely tatted lace in
chestnut brown, which appears to have a “heart” motif (how apropos with
Valentine’s Day on the horizon!). The dress is open in the front
several inches below the waist but has no formal closures to secure it at the
left hip—the pleating at the waistline is very clear here and it’s easy to see
where the closure might be if there ever was one. The skirt is fully
lined in a light brown polished cotton while the bodice is lined in a soft
brown cotton fabric which also trims the hem of the skirt.
CONDITION*: Overall this
beautiful dress is in very good to excellent condition (please refer to my
terms below), which is even more impressive considering it’s a century and a
half old! First and foremost, the silk and cotton fabrics are
healthy, sound and very clean—this is a solidly constructed piece all
around. I noted the following condition issues and detailed them in
the pictures: there are some separations in the silk under both
arms-- see picture 11 for the left underarm; the right underarm is shown in picture
12. Nonetheless, the armscyes are still quite sturdy. These areas
of loss are only in the silk and do not extend into the lining. I
amplified the lighting in both pictures 11 & 12 to show this more clearly;
these pictures were taken with the dress lying flat on its back & with the
sleeves raised. Let me know if you need any more clarification
here—I’m happy to take more pictures, measurements, etc. There are 2
small holes in the cotton lining near the hem of the skirt (see picture
10). The hook & eye closures on the bodice are all accounted
for, but at least one needs a bit of tightening. The pinstripes
appear a bit fainter on the back of the bodice, but the black silk color is
consistent all around the entire gown. The tatted lace applique is very nice
and appears wholly intact with a small lifted/folded up section on the left
shoulder, but there is no loss here. There is some faint
discoloration on the ivory silk lining of the pagoda sleeves. The
fabric covered buttons are very nice with one or two showing minimal wear, possibly. I
noted a few small pricks in the silk, but none so great as to reveal the
lining.
This beautiful antique dress is a valuable piece of
textile & social history, with so much to offer in the way of further
study, wear, display, and enjoyment!! It will be packaged and
shipped with great consideration and care.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or for
more details and/or pictures.
Measurements (I would call this
a small):
Condition Terms:
“pristine” = near perfect, no visible flaws
or evidence of wear
“excellent” = easily
repairable minor damage; much is “pristine”
“very good” = basically
solid & intact; some repairs may be needed
“fair” = obvious damage with difficult repairs
needed
“poor” = no longer intact and only partially
viable
This gown came from an estate in Winthrop, Massachusetts.
Do see my current listings for other pieces of antique & vintage clothing,
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for more listings as I am adding them regularly.
Please examine the pictures closely & email me with any questions!
Thanks so much for your interest!
Payment is expected within three days of an auction's closure.
Please inquire about expedited & international shipping rates as well as
multiple orders as I am happy to combine shipping.