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

Gown

1780s (sewing)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A woman's gown of ivory satin, open at the front with shaped elbow-length sleeves. The bodice meets at centre front. The bodice and skirt are cut separately and stitched at the waist. The back is made of 4 shaped pieces, tapering to a point at centre back below the waistline. The bodice front is cut in two curving pieces also ending in a pointed waist, The bodice fronts and two parts of the back are lined with bleached linen and stitched together; the sleeves are also lined with unbleached linen. There are boning channels and bones in the bodice lining, either side of the centre back seam, either side of the side-back seams, at the sides proper and at each edge of the bodice fronts. There are worked eyelet holes for lacing behind the latter. There is a small brass ring stitched to the lining at the neck on either side of the back.The skirt is made of 5 widths of silk with a partial panel and triangular gore on each side of the front. The skirt is finely flat-pleated into the waist seam, with pocket openings in the side seams. The skirt fronts are trimmed with a band of satin cut in 'Van Dyck' points, increasing in width from waist to hem. Similar decoration in smaller scale edges the sleeve openings. A narrow piece of satin covers the seams of the bodice fronts; attached to it are four tapering bands of satin on the right side (three are missing on the left side). These had ribbons of white silk for fastening in bows down the front.

The fastening ribbons have since been replaced. Two bands of ribbon have been added either side of the neck to cover the selvedges of the satin, either for display or fancy dress.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, silk thread, linen thread, whalebone; hand-woven, hand-sewn
Brief description
A woman's gown, 1780s, English; Ivory satin, van-dycked satin appliqué trim
Physical description
A woman's gown of ivory satin, open at the front with shaped elbow-length sleeves. The bodice meets at centre front. The bodice and skirt are cut separately and stitched at the waist. The back is made of 4 shaped pieces, tapering to a point at centre back below the waistline. The bodice front is cut in two curving pieces also ending in a pointed waist, The bodice fronts and two parts of the back are lined with bleached linen and stitched together; the sleeves are also lined with unbleached linen. There are boning channels and bones in the bodice lining, either side of the centre back seam, either side of the side-back seams, at the sides proper and at each edge of the bodice fronts. There are worked eyelet holes for lacing behind the latter. There is a small brass ring stitched to the lining at the neck on either side of the back.The skirt is made of 5 widths of silk with a partial panel and triangular gore on each side of the front. The skirt is finely flat-pleated into the waist seam, with pocket openings in the side seams. The skirt fronts are trimmed with a band of satin cut in 'Van Dyck' points, increasing in width from waist to hem. Similar decoration in smaller scale edges the sleeve openings. A narrow piece of satin covers the seams of the bodice fronts; attached to it are four tapering bands of satin on the right side (three are missing on the left side). These had ribbons of white silk for fastening in bows down the front.

The fastening ribbons have since been replaced. Two bands of ribbon have been added either side of the neck to cover the selvedges of the satin, either for display or fancy dress.
Dimensions
  • Shoulder to hem at centre back length: 184.0cm (approx)
  • Bust under armholes circumference: 94.0cm (approx)
  • Silk, selvedge to selvedge width: 49.0cm
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Given by Miss Louise Band
Collection
Accession number
T.181-1965

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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