Physical description

A woman's gown of gold-coloured, finely ribbed silk. The gown is in the English (tight-back) style, open at the front, with elbow-length sleeves. The sleeves are shaped to the elbow and are trimmed above the elbow and at the edge with a gathered pinked frill of self material. The bodice meets at the centre front. The bodice and sleeves are lined with bleached linen. The pleats at the back are stitched down; the skirt is finely pleated into the waistseam and held in place with stitching on the inside, 2 cm below the waist. The gown is made of 5 and a half widths of silk. The hem is faced with white silk taffeta. There is a self covered button at each side back seam. The pink cords inside the dress are probably replacements for the originals which looped up the skirt of the gown.

A deep dart (now unpicked) was sewn on each bodice front for fancy dress in the late 19th century.

Place of Origin

England (textile, weaving)
England (gown, sewing)

Date

1770 - 1780 (weaving)
1775 - 1780 (sewing)
1870 - 1910 (altered)

Artist/maker

Unknown

Materials and Techniques

Silk, linen, silk thread, linen thread; hand-woven, hand-seen

Dimensions

Length: 150.0 cm shoulder to hem at centre back approx, Circumference: 102.0 cm bust under armholes approx

Descriptive line

A woman's gown, 1775-80, English; gold-coloured ribbed silk, English, 1770s; altered 1870-1910

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Hart, Avril and Susan North, Historical Fashion in Detail: The 17th and 18th Centuries, London: V&A Publications, 1998, p.38

Materials

Silk (textile); Linen (material); Silk thread; Linen thread

Techniques

Hand weaving; Hand sewing

Categories

Textiles; Women's clothes; Fashion; Europeana Fashion Project

Production Type

Unique

Collection

Textiles and Fashion Collection