1840's Dress Shirring, brown silk

Antique 1860s Patterned Brown Silk Taffeta Gown Dress Civil War Era Victorian

From the Seller

An antique Victorian gown dating from the 1860s. 

Beautiful Brown Silk

Hook and eye closure front.

Fully lined.  

Excellent antique condition

Small separation of inner lining (see pics 7&8)

Discoloring at the underarms 

One piece in glossy lightweight brown silk 

The bodice is fitted 

 with 

a cotton under layer that fastens with hooks at centre front. 

At the front the silk is fan pleated from waist to shoulder, 

with a round piped neck and slightly curved 

The sleeves fasten with hooks. 

The full skirt is pleated in to the waist.

Hand sewn.

Please review all photos as they as are a part of the description

and

 ask all questions in advance of purchases

Measurements

Chest 23" (armpit to armpit)

Waist: 24"

Length: 54"

Sleeve: 17"

From the Industrious Lady

While this is a lovely example of a mid 19th century era dress, its misses the 1860's mark by about -20 years. The dip in the front, the shirring on the bodice, the way too long of sleeves, these are all typical of 1840's fashion. It does have interesting hook and eyes,and what looks like an almost primitive type of hook and eye tape where there is a ribbon ran through all the eyes  not unlike insertion lace. The dress very nicely displays the transitional phases from the regency era of the 1820's to the crinoline era starting in the 1850's. A dress like this would have a nice bell shape, and during this early era it was achieved by the use of several starched petticoats which was very burdensome on the waist and hips. It was the desire for the bell shape without being weighed down by petticoats that led to the invention of the hoop skirt nearly a decade later.

An original dress from the metropolitan museum of art. Dated to early 1840's.