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Brown Peplum Bodice Silk Dress, 1860s
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This lovely, elegant skirt and peplum bodice outfit is made of a crisp, semi-sheer, chocolate brown silk with a lovely sheen. The weave creates a subtle horizontal variegated stripe effect.
The bodice is trimmed with long brown knotted fringe on the bottom of the peplum and near the wrists of the coat sleeves. (The fringe matches the fabric, unlike in the photos.) The remnants of a white lace collar remain inside the self-fabric standup collar. The bodice closes with dark brown fabric covered buttons. The skirt is trimmed with a crisply pleated 5 ½ inch flounce at the hem.
The bodice is lined in a brown twill fabric and the sleeves and skirt are lined in a lighter weight brown cotton fabric so the sheer nature of the dress fabric is not obvious. The bodice fabric is still sound, with no obvious damage, but someone with a larger waist than the original owner took out the waist darts on the front of the bodice and let out the waist of the skirt in back by letting out the gathers and extending the waist band with other fabric. The darts can easily be re sewn as the silk clearly shows exactly where the darts were.
The current waist is 31 inches and the skirt is 41 ½ inches long. The outfit is mainly machine sewn, but the button holes and all finishing work is by hand, which was fairly typical of a garment of this quality made by the later 1860s.
The waistband of the skirt is damaged on one end and has been added onto on the other end to make it longer. The original gauging (cartridge) pleats that most likely were in the back of the skirt were replaced with loose gathers when the skirt was let out. The waistband would have to be at least partially replaced to restore the skirt. There is also a horizontal tear in the skirt at the bottom of the opening at the back of the skirt, some fraying at the top of some pleats where the waistband was damaged and there is a horizontal split in the fabric immediately below the waistband at the center front (all but the tear in the back are hidden under the peplum.) The rest of the skirt fabric is sound. The only other damage I have noticed is two missing tassels on the fringe on the right sleeve (see photo) and one missing button on the front of the bodice. (There are still two decorative buttons near the wrist on the sleeves.)
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Brown Silk Gown
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Civil War era lady's rich chocolate brown silk satin one piece gown with a fashionable train and pagoda sleeves. The bodice is lined and stayed with a three dart front, half stayed construction, a V back, with piped drop shoulder seams to the ivory silk satin lined and face pleated pagoda sleeves. An interesting neckline design that appears to be a later fashion alteration dating to the latter part of the decade. Turned lapels trimmed in velvet ribbon with black glass beads that repeat at the cuffs. A front hook and eye closure, with a directionally double box pleated waistband, a side of front opening, and a fully lined skirt with velvet floor brush and full train. A 34" bust, 27" waist, and 59" from shoulder to front hem. In very good clean sound condition, with some extremely minor underarm perspiration, a few missing beads, one 1" scuff at the front of the skirt, and a few tiny scattered age flaws.
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Burgundy silk reception gown, 1870s
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Calico Boys Dress 1860
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1860's little boy's black dotted calico printed cotton two piece skirted suit with complimenting bands of calico printed trim. Piped at the neckline and at the drop shoulder seams of the coak sleeves. A three shell button back closure. The skirt has a fully cartridge pleated waistband with no fastener, and a turned hem. 11" from shoulder to shoulder, a loose fitting paletot style bodice, a 21" waist and 21" from shoulder to front hem
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Calico Challis Day Dress 1850
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A very pretty original circa 1850 lady's one piece soft yellow ochre calico printed fine wool challis day dress. A lined and stayed bodice with a blind front hook and eye closure with accent buttons above, long slender lined and capped sleeves, shown fully extended, with hook and eye cuffs, and trimmed in a corded fringe gimp at the bodice and caps. A single side of front pocket in the unlined skirt, with a directionally box pleated front and cartridge pleated back to the piped waistband, and a turned and faced hem. A 34" bust, 26" waist and 56" from shoulder to front hem. In presentable condition, with scattered surface holes and thin spots, wear to the back of the neck and the cuffs, and a matching period patch and a few mends to the skirt, as found. Still a very good original example of an Ante Bellum day dress in a lovely printed calico.
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Calico House Dress 1870
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A most attractive original circa 1870's lady's one piece house dress or wrapper made for comfort at home. In a delightful turkey red colored trailing floral printed calico on a black silk faille. A Canton flannel lined and stayed bodice, with a high pleated neck, and ruffled pleated accents at the bodice and the cuffs. A pleated watteau revival style panel accent to the back, and a slight train. Lined in a brown sarcenet, with seven black velvet covered buttons to the partial front closure from below the waist and up. Matching buttons at the cuffs and tail. A 39" bust, 32" waist and 57" from shoulder to front hem. In very nice clean sound condition with a few pin dot age flaws and some normal wear to the velvet button facings. Two extra button holes below the front opening that are original, a design alteration when first made. A beautiful original Victorian house dress in a vibrant textile.
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Calico printed cotton basque, 1840s
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1840's purple sprig calico printed white cotton basque with a complimenting border print of a stripe and warp printed style motif. Gathered piped shoulder seams, with piping at the neckline, on the seam below the waistband, and at the tops of the shoulders. A gathered jacket skirt, a fitted back, long full sleeves, four hooks and eyes at the neck and downward, and a twill tape drawstring waistband. 15" from shoulder to shoulder, a 34" bust, 26" waist as shown, and 32" from shoulder to front hem.
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Calico Work Dress, 1860s
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Civil War Era cotton work/day dress. This one piece dress is entirely hand sewn from a fabulous calico print in warm reds, oranges and browns; see close-up photos for details. This dress features dropped shoulders and one piece military style sleeves with wide elbows and narrow wrists but is not piped anywhere. Remnants of an Osnaburg type lining remain in both the bodice and the skirt; these remnants do not show any disintegration and so I am thinking that the majority of the lining was intentionally removed for some reason. The bodice is gathered at the waist in both center front and back as is typical of this type of working garment and at some point an extension was made to the waist at the center front to enlarge it a bit; this was done by hand; it could easily be reversed if the new owner desired to do so. The bodice closes down the center front with 8 fancy pink glass buttons which look kind of like acorns; these are set into the fabric and held in place by a strip of the dress fabric which runs through the shanks. The skirt is very full and is gathered to the waistband; there is a pocket in the left front/side of paisley cotton; the hem is faced with a different cotton calico as shown
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Calico Wraper 1830s
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A rare original and fantastic circa late 1830's woman's sprig and waffled pattern calico printed cotton one piece maternity wrapper that is accented with a complimenting printed border and matching sleeve caps. Piped at the neckline and at the drop shoulder seams of the cartridge pleated full sleeves, with hooks and eyes and buttons at the wrists. With a one part back, and top of shoulder seams, a lined bodice with an inner drawstring and tiny cartridge pleats to the waistband. A turned hem to the unlined skirt, and a long shell button front closure. A 36" bust as shown, a free waist, and 53" from shoulder to front hem. In excellent clean sound museum quality condition, with a few tiny pin dot age flaws, one 1" surface opening beneath one armscye, and some very minor color variation near the collar. It is very difficult to obtain garments of this period, let alone those made for maternity use.
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Challis Print Day Dress
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Very appealing red & black heavy challis princess style gown from c.1880. Cute narrow collar, it closes with etched black glass buttons down to approximately the hip area, lining also goes to this point. Cute bustle detail, with ruffles, at the back. The sleeves are lined with two charming dress fabrics, a blue and white stripe, plus a blue & white plaid, rest of the bodice is brown cotton, the hem has a similar lining, plus a twill tape binding edge.
The background color seems to be dark brown or black, but on closer inspection red highlights are seen throughout the weave. The reverse of the fabric is predominantly red. The little designs resemble a stylized dress.
It's about a 40 1/2" bust, 34" waist, it's 14 1/2" between the shoulder seams.
Two of the etched buttons are missing, two are replacements, but closely resemble the originals. One of the replacements is quite nice, with a design of an etched or cut stag being pursued by a dog.
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Chantilly Lace Shawl
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This shawl is absolutely stunning and huge. Shown over an antique hoop petticoat. The shawl is a very desirable piece due to the size and the intricate detailing of the handmade lace. We noted one separation at the back of the neck neck and one lace separation in the shawl, both are easily repaired and obviously do not detract from the beauty of the lace. A few scattered areas of pin holes in netting as well. Note the varying scalloped border treatment, the large scrolling design lends an 18th century Arborescent feel to the composition.
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Chantilly Lace Shawl Black
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Ornate Fine chantilly net lace early mourning shawl or fichu.The span across from tip to tip is 126 inches and down the center, (which would be of your back when worn) it is 56 inches! Triangular form.
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Chantilly Lace Shawl, 1860s
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100" across the top, 62" down on either side~Top edge to rounded bottom edge 47" long, which does not include fold over~Measurements of fold over triangular collar 49-1/2" across top~31-1/4" on each side~Straight edge to point of collar 18-1/2" long.
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Child's Dimity Cotton Paletot
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A fancy original late 1860's to early 1870's little child's snow white dimity patterned cotton paletot with bishop sleeves and wide ruffled lace trim. All expertly hand sewn. A single button closure at the neck, shown here left open. 12" from shoulder to shoulder, a 29" chest, and 14" from shoulder to front hem.
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