Night Dress
ca. 1900 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
After Queen Victoria's death in 1901, at the age of 82, her nightdresses and other undergarments were distributed amongst members of the Royal Household, as personal mementoes of the Queen's long reign. The survival of this garment, originally given to Queen Victoria's gamekeeper at Balmoral, and passed down the same family, demonstrates the respect felt by her servants towards their employer, and the continuing popularity of Royalty and celebrity.
The nightdress is very voluminous, and indicates Queen Victoria's size in later life. She would have had a great number of these garments, all exactly the same, and ordered in sets. The Queen's cypher and a number was always worked on each garment. The numbering system is not understood today but it is likely that the garments were washed and then worn in strict rotation.
The nightdress is very voluminous, and indicates Queen Victoria's size in later life. She would have had a great number of these garments, all exactly the same, and ordered in sets. The Queen's cypher and a number was always worked on each garment. The numbering system is not understood today but it is likely that the garments were washed and then worn in strict rotation.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Linen and lace, with embroidered cypher |
| Brief description | Nightdress, white linen with bobbin lace frill, worn by Queen Victoria, England, about 1900. Embroidered with a crown and 'VR / 36'. |
| Physical description | Night dress of fine linen lawn trimmed with French lace and covered buttons, with embroidered crown cypher, 'VR' and '36'. Worn by Queen Victoria |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Coronet and 'VR/36' (Embroidered in white thread at base of neck opening) |
| Credit line | Given by Betty Dent |
| Association | |
| Summary | After Queen Victoria's death in 1901, at the age of 82, her nightdresses and other undergarments were distributed amongst members of the Royal Household, as personal mementoes of the Queen's long reign. The survival of this garment, originally given to Queen Victoria's gamekeeper at Balmoral, and passed down the same family, demonstrates the respect felt by her servants towards their employer, and the continuing popularity of Royalty and celebrity. The nightdress is very voluminous, and indicates Queen Victoria's size in later life. She would have had a great number of these garments, all exactly the same, and ordered in sets. The Queen's cypher and a number was always worked on each garment. The numbering system is not understood today but it is likely that the garments were washed and then worn in strict rotation. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.56-2007 |
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| Record created | August 1, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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