Bodice
1640-1650 (made), 1870-1910 (altered)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
A woman's bodice of black silk velvet bodice lined with linen and fustian, and reinforced with baleen. It opens down the front and has ¾-length sleeves with cuffs. The boned linen fronts have worked eyelets for lacing at the front. The edges of the neck, sleeves, cuffs and shoulder wings are bound with woven silk lace (braid).
The bodice has been altered considerably, possibly for fancy dress in the late 19th century. Black linen twill was inserted in the sleeves to close the open seam. The bodice appears to have had laps below the waist; those on the right were removed to create a second shoulder wing on the right sleeve. The laps on the left side have been cut through the centre. The hooks and eyes and centre front may be later additions.
The bodice has been altered considerably, possibly for fancy dress in the late 19th century. Black linen twill was inserted in the sleeves to close the open seam. The bodice appears to have had laps below the waist; those on the right were removed to create a second shoulder wing on the right sleeve. The laps on the left side have been cut through the centre. The hooks and eyes and centre front may be later additions.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silk, linen, cotton, baleen; hand-woven, velvet weave,hand-sewn |
| Brief description | Woman's bodice of black silk velvet with silk braid trim, English, 1640s, altered 1870-1910 |
| Physical description | A woman's bodice of black silk velvet bodice lined with linen and fustian, and reinforced with baleen. It opens down the front and has ¾-length sleeves with cuffs. The boned linen fronts have worked eyelets for lacing at the front. The edges of the neck, sleeves, cuffs and shoulder wings are bound with woven silk lace (braid). The bodice has been altered considerably, possibly for fancy dress in the late 19th century. Black linen twill was inserted in the sleeves to close the open seam. The bodice appears to have had laps below the waist; those on the right were removed to create a second shoulder wing on the right sleeve. The laps on the left side have been cut through the centre. The hooks and eyes and centre front may be later additions. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Part of the Isham collection purchased in 1899. |
| Bibliographic reference | Norah Waugh, The Cut of Women's Clothes 1600-1630, Faber and Faber, 1968, Diagram VII and p.304 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 171-1900 |
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| Record created | November 30, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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