Woman's Drawers, Chemise, and Nightgown Set
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Nellie Stevens
Clothing MakerMade by
Nellie Stevens
Dateabout 1865-1875
MediumDrawers: Machine-stitched and hand-embroidered cotton, with glass buttons.
Chemise: Machine-stitched cotton.
Nightgown: Hand- and machine-stitched cotton, with mother of pearl buttons.
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (chemise length x width across top): 38 x 23 1/4in. (96.5 x 59.1cm)
Component (width at bottom of chemise): 45in. (114.3cm)
Component (length x width at waist of drawers): 30 3/4 x 23 1/2in. (78.1 x 59.7cm)
Component (nightgown length x width across shoulders x hem circumference): 49 x 19 3/4 x 109in. (124.5 x 50.2 x 276.9cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Matie Bacon Carpenter
Object number1968.19.1a-d
DescriptionDrawers: White cotton drawers, part of a set with a chemise and nightgown. The bottom of the legs are eyelet embroidered with white cotton thread in a grapevine and floral pattern. The edge is scalloped and finished with a bottonhole stitch. Above the embroidery are eight narrow tucks encircling the leg. The drawers are cut very full in the crotch, which is closed. The drawers are gathered into the 1 1/4-inch-wide waistband, which fastens on both sides with a single white pressed glass button. The sides are open for eleven inches below the waistband. The bottom of the opening is reinforced.
Chemise: Woman's white cotton chemise. The front and back panels are gathered into a yoke embroidered with a whitework design of grapes. The yoke extends 5 3/8 inches down the center front, where the chemise opens. It fastens at the top with a small mother of pearl button. The sleeves are short (about 4 1/2 inches) and are gathered into the yoke and into a matching 2 1/8-inch-wide band. The sleeves are cut full under the arm, so there is no gusset. The armhole is reinforced with a lining, about 1 1/2 inches-wide at the bottom. The front and back panels are pieced, selvage-to-selvage, for the length of the right side. The hem is about one-inch wide.
Nightgown: Woman's white cotton nightgown, with a deeply dipped yoke embroidered with white cotton in a grape cluster design. The yoke comes to a shallow point at center back. The neckline is high and round; it is edged with the whitework embroidery. The nightgown opens for the length of the center front; it fastens with nine small mother of pearl buttons. The shoulderline is dropped; the armscyes are piped. The sleeves are long and full; they are gathered into the armscye and into a turn-back, embroidered cuff which also closes with a small mother of pearl button. The panels of the nightgown body are pieced selvage-to-selvage. The side seams are stitched by machine and finished by hand overcasting. The hem is 1 3/8-inch deep.
The fourth part of this set was not located at the time of cataloguing.
NotesHistorical Note: Drawers, chemise, and nightgown set made by Nellie Stevens for her own wedding clothes, but she did not marry.Chemise: Woman's white cotton chemise. The front and back panels are gathered into a yoke embroidered with a whitework design of grapes. The yoke extends 5 3/8 inches down the center front, where the chemise opens. It fastens at the top with a small mother of pearl button. The sleeves are short (about 4 1/2 inches) and are gathered into the yoke and into a matching 2 1/8-inch-wide band. The sleeves are cut full under the arm, so there is no gusset. The armhole is reinforced with a lining, about 1 1/2 inches-wide at the bottom. The front and back panels are pieced, selvage-to-selvage, for the length of the right side. The hem is about one-inch wide.
Nightgown: Woman's white cotton nightgown, with a deeply dipped yoke embroidered with white cotton in a grape cluster design. The yoke comes to a shallow point at center back. The neckline is high and round; it is edged with the whitework embroidery. The nightgown opens for the length of the center front; it fastens with nine small mother of pearl buttons. The shoulderline is dropped; the armscyes are piped. The sleeves are long and full; they are gathered into the armscye and into a turn-back, embroidered cuff which also closes with a small mother of pearl button. The panels of the nightgown body are pieced selvage-to-selvage. The side seams are stitched by machine and finished by hand overcasting. The hem is 1 3/8-inch deep.
The fourth part of this set was not located at the time of cataloguing.
Status
Not on view
Object/Object
