Girl's Collar thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Girl's Collar

1917 - 1925 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is one of a large group of childhood objects donated by Eileen Brock. Eileen was born in 1915 to a middle-class family living in North London. Her mother, Amy Piercy, was the youngest of a close family of six sisters so Eileen's early life was busy with visits and entertainments with aunts and cousins. In 1921, when Eileen was six, her father William died in Basra, Iraq, where he was serving in the army.
Eileen and Amy were very close and shared a love of music, dancing and theatre. Eileen also inherited her mother's enthusiasm for collecting; they both held on to birthday and christmas cards, presents, school books, theatrical ephmera and clothing. These ordinary but personally significant objects span the decades when education, cinema, fashion and women's lives were transformed in Britain.
The Museum of Childhood now holds this wonderul collection which offers rich insight into the everyday life of a young girl growing up after the First World War.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk, cotton and ribbon. Hand sewn and embroidered.
Brief description
Silk collar, edged with red ribbon, embroidered with poppy motifs, England, 1917-1925
Physical description
Cream crepe, lined with cotton, with cotton overbinding at the neck. The collar is cut with a wavy edge, which is finished with two layers of orange and red ribbon, handsewn over the seam all the way round. There is a symmetrical design of poppies, with two on each shoulder and two at centre back. The flowers' petals are outlined with the same red and orange ribbon, with black thread used to depict seeds. The leaves are loops of green ribbon and two shades of green embroidery.
Dimensions
  • Width: 58cm
  • Back of neck to hem length: 19cm
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Given by Eileen Brock
Object history
Belonged to the donor as a child.
Summary
This is one of a large group of childhood objects donated by Eileen Brock. Eileen was born in 1915 to a middle-class family living in North London. Her mother, Amy Piercy, was the youngest of a close family of six sisters so Eileen's early life was busy with visits and entertainments with aunts and cousins. In 1921, when Eileen was six, her father William died in Basra, Iraq, where he was serving in the army.
Eileen and Amy were very close and shared a love of music, dancing and theatre. Eileen also inherited her mother's enthusiasm for collecting; they both held on to birthday and christmas cards, presents, school books, theatrical ephmera and clothing. These ordinary but personally significant objects span the decades when education, cinema, fashion and women's lives were transformed in Britain.
The Museum of Childhood now holds this wonderul collection which offers rich insight into the everyday life of a young girl growing up after the First World War.
Collection
Accession number
B.331-2012

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Record createdDecember 20, 2012
Record URL
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