Late 1850's Pagoda Sleeve Velvet Button Dress

 

Ca. 1850's Antique Civil War Era Day Dress

From the Seller

Ca 1850's Civil War era day dress

Brown mohair with sloping shoulders

Wide pagoda sleeves with attached white batiste under sleeves

Trimmed with black silk velvet buttons and piping

Note damage and fraying to hemline and bodice

Silk collar included

Crinoline not included

From the Industrious Lady

A lovely display mid 19th century dresses, the buttons are a lovely addition to the ensemble. And how nice to see a dress that has not yet been parted with its undersleeves. Under sleeves that have survived are rare due to their fabric being reused for other projects, under sleeves still left inside their original dresses are even rarer. Without looking its hard to say for certain, but fancier undersleeves were sometimes basted to their dresses, especially undersleeves made of more decorative material and whose purpose was more fashion than protecting the fabric in the sleeve above from body oils.

How terribly sad that the hemline has as well been frayed, however it appears more by wear than by actual time. The original wearer did not use a hem tape to protect the hemline from damage as we so often in period dresses. Which is strange given how easy it is to add one. One theory might be that the dress is a remake from an earlier style so the lady was not quite so concerned with conserving the fabric. The remake theory might also give an explanation to why the back pieces are so strangely shaped. The middle piece is much narrower and steeper than is the norm for period dresses while the side pieces are a larger proportion than a dress made for the wearer"s size.

Another interesting note is that the seller has a collection of these dresses for sale from around the same period that all close on the wrong side. Traditionally women's closure are designed with the right side overlapping the left so it was easier for the maid or whomever was dressing the lady to do the closures, These dresses are made with the right overlapping the left. Perhaps a left handed lady? 

This is a dress from the Met Museum from a similar time frame as the dress above, as it shows the right over left closure

The tan dress with a left over right closure.