Gown thumbnail 1
Gown thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Gown

1780s (weaving), 1780s (sewing)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A woman's gown of pale blue silk, figured with leaf sprays and white satin stripe. The gown is open at the front with elbow-length sleeves with a narrow cuff. The bodice and skirt are cut separately and stitched together at the waist. The bodice meets at centre front. The back is made of 2 shaped pieces tapering to a point below the waist at centre back. The bodice fronts and back pieces are lined with bleached linen and stitched together; the sleeves are also lined with bleached linen. The centre back seam is boned on either side and there is a bone on the side back seam (missing on the left side). A line of stitching in the front bodice below the neckline forms a casing for narrow linen tape drawstrings. There is a boned lacing band of linen with 6 lacing holes, sewn to the bodice front linings. The skirt is made of 6 widths of silk and flat-pl eated into the waist seam. There are pocket openings in each side seam. A length of broad white satin ribbon binds the front edges of the skirt. A narrower white satin ribbon edges the sleeve cuffs. A boned strip of silk with six worked eyelets is stitched to each bodice front, curving from the side of the neckline to centre front waist.

The petticoat is made of 5 widths of silk, with a box pleat at the centre front waist, inverted box pleat at centre back and flat pleats at the sides. The waist is bound, front and back with narrow blue silk grosgrain ribbon, extending to form ties at either side. There are cut and hemmed pocket openings on either side. The hem is faced with narrow blue silk grosgrain ribbon.

The petticoat originally had a deep flounce of 8 widths of silk, gathered, pinked and van-dycked, all around (part B). the centre back seam of the bodice has been unpicked.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Gown
  • Petticoat
  • Flounce
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, silk thread, linen thread, whalebone; hand-woven, hand-sewn, pinked
Brief description
A woman's gown, petticoat and petticoat flounce, 1780s, English; Pale blue silk, figured with leaf sprays and white satin stripe, leaf sprays, 1780s
Physical description
A woman's gown of pale blue silk, figured with leaf sprays and white satin stripe. The gown is open at the front with elbow-length sleeves with a narrow cuff. The bodice and skirt are cut separately and stitched together at the waist. The bodice meets at centre front. The back is made of 2 shaped pieces tapering to a point below the waist at centre back. The bodice fronts and back pieces are lined with bleached linen and stitched together; the sleeves are also lined with bleached linen. The centre back seam is boned on either side and there is a bone on the side back seam (missing on the left side). A line of stitching in the front bodice below the neckline forms a casing for narrow linen tape drawstrings. There is a boned lacing band of linen with 6 lacing holes, sewn to the bodice front linings. The skirt is made of 6 widths of silk and flat-pl eated into the waist seam. There are pocket openings in each side seam. A length of broad white satin ribbon binds the front edges of the skirt. A narrower white satin ribbon edges the sleeve cuffs. A boned strip of silk with six worked eyelets is stitched to each bodice front, curving from the side of the neckline to centre front waist.

The petticoat is made of 5 widths of silk, with a box pleat at the centre front waist, inverted box pleat at centre back and flat pleats at the sides. The waist is bound, front and back with narrow blue silk grosgrain ribbon, extending to form ties at either side. There are cut and hemmed pocket openings on either side. The hem is faced with narrow blue silk grosgrain ribbon.

The petticoat originally had a deep flounce of 8 widths of silk, gathered, pinked and van-dycked, all around (part B). the centre back seam of the bodice has been unpicked.
Dimensions
  • Silk, selvedge to selvedge width: 56.7cm
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Given by Miss A. Maishman
Object history
In correspondence with the V&A in 1972, the donor, Alice Maishman, identified this garment and those acquired with it, as made in Scotland.
Collection
Accession number
T.93 to B-1972

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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