Dress
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Sarah Elizabeth Dunham
American, born 1835
Clothing MakerMade by
Unknown
Dateabout 1865
MediumHand-stitched silk and cotton, with silk velvet ribbons, wool hem tape, brass hooks and eyes, and buttons of jet and metal
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (length x width): 61 x 18 1/2in. (154.9 x 47cm)
Hem (circumference): 127in. (322.6cm)
Hem (circumference): 127in. (322.6cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineGift of Carrie Loomis Schober
DescriptionWoman's day dress of large-scale brown and blue check sarsnet (lightweight silk). The dress is frugally and carefully pieced, matching the woven pattern, in the neck area, around the armscye seams, on the sleeve cuffs, in the bodice back, and around the top of the skirt. The dress is styled with a high, round neckline, with a narrow band collar, dropped shoulderline, and round waistline. The collar, shoulderline, sleeve cuffs, waistband, and the length of the dress center front are trimmed with rows of 3/8-inch-wide black velvet ribbon flanked by 1/8-inch wide black velvet ribbon. The dress closes at center front with eleven small jet buttons on the bodice and two brass hooks and eyes at the waist. The full sleeves are pleated into the shoulder and into a 4 7/8-inch to three-inch-wide tapered cuff. Darts are stitched into the front of the bodice silk, but they are obscured, because the silk is also gathered into the waistline. Old stitch lines around the darts provide further evidence of the dress fabric's reuse. The bodice back is also gathered. The armscye seams, waist edge, and sleeve cuffs are piped. The bodice is lined with brown plain-woven cotton, which is gathered into the waistline along with the silk fabric. A whitework-embroidered collar is tacked to the neckline.
The skirt is knife-pleated to the bottom edge of the bodice. The lining is pieced at the top with fabric matching that used in the bodice; the rest of the lining is a tan cotton. There is an in-seam pocket on the right side. The bottom edge of the skirt is bound with blue wool tape.
The skirt is knife-pleated to the bottom edge of the bodice. The lining is pieced at the top with fabric matching that used in the bodice; the rest of the lining is a tan cotton. There is an in-seam pocket on the right side. The bottom edge of the skirt is bound with blue wool tape.
Object number1937.32.1
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