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Dress

Original OwnerOriginally owned by Adeline M. Lawrence American, 1810 - 1885
Clothing MakerMade by Unknown
Dateabout 1880
MediumHand-stitched and machine-stitched wool/silk and cotton, with plastic buttons, wool hem tape, and unidentified boning
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (center front length x width across shoulders): 50 1/2 x 15 1/4in. (128.3 x 38.7cm)
Hem (circumference): 101 1/2in. (257.8cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineGift of the estate of Mary P. Lewis
DescriptionWoman's day dress of brown and cream plaid barege (a fine, sheer wool and silk fabric). The dress has a high, round neckline finished with a 3 1/4-inch-wide turn-down collar, edged with brown wool cut on the bias. The inside of the neckline is edged with narrow, machine-made bobbin lace. The dress opens at center front from the neckline to the bottom flounce and fastens with thirteen round, dark brown plastic buttons. The sleeves are cut with an upper and lower seam like a coat sleeve, and are decorated around the wrist openings with a 3 1/2-inch-wide pointed band of the brown wool, piped with the barege and stitched with a button at the point. The armscyes are slightly lowered and piped. A bias flounce edged with brown wool surrounds the bottom of the dress. There is a patch pocket over the right lower hip made of the barege, topped with a faux flap of the brown wool with two non-functioning buttons. The skirt is gathered up with a ruffled edge across the back of the hips, emphasizing the fullness in a manner reminiscent of a bustle.

The dress is fitted with long darts, extending from the hips to the bust at both front and back. It has been made smaller by hand-stitching a tuck under the arm to the hipline. The center front button edge is boned under a casing of printed black and white "twill" check calico. There are several different lining fabrics used---light brown and dark brown cottons of different weights. The bottom edge of the dress is bound with brown wool tape.
Object number1960.38.5
Subject Terms
    On View
    Not on view
    Dress
    Unknown
    about 1873
    Dress
    Mrs. Denison Rossiter Geer
    about 1875
    Dress
    Mary Elizabeth Carter
    about 1883
    Gift of Phyllis Kihn, 1980.38.4a-d  © 2013 The Connecticut Historical Society.
    Marie L. Brown
    1870
    Front of dress with cape.
    Unknown
    1865-1870
    Dress
    Unknown
    about 1877-1880
    Pendleton family
    about 1880
    Gift of Mrs. George R. Hall, Sr., 1956.5.19a-b, Connecticut Historical Society, Public Domain
    Mary Warner Pierpont
    1883
    Dress
    Mrs. Williams
    about 1876
    Gift of Katharine Beebe, 1973.93.1a-b, Connecticut Historical Society, Public Domain
    Alice Elizabeth Daniels
    9 November 1871
    Dress
    Adelaide Rathbone
    about 1892-1894
    Dress
    Unknown
    about 1876-1880