Dress
ca. 1927 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The former Italian firm Lenci was primarily associated with dolls and toys, but they did also make other products such as ceramics and a small amount of children's clothing. This dress has no maker's mark, but there are a number of similarities with the clothing of Lenci dolls: it is made of the two fabrics most associated with the dolls' clothing, is in a child-suitable but fantasy style reminiscent of some Lenci doll garments, and is trimmed with the firm's 'signature' felt flowers.
The Lenci doll B.34:1-2003 in the museum's collections is also dressed in a pink organdie and felt frock, and it may have been the intention to market the clothing as an adjunct to the dolls in much the same way as the Barbie brand is used currently.
The Lenci doll B.34:1-2003 in the museum's collections is also dressed in a pink organdie and felt frock, and it may have been the intention to market the clothing as an adjunct to the dolls in much the same way as the Barbie brand is used currently.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Organdie and felt |
| Brief description | Party dress for a girl: pink organdie decorated with a spray of felt daisies and magenta roses; said to have been made by Lenci in Italy, ca. 1927 |
| Physical description | Party dress for a girl: pink organdie, with a scoop-necked sleeveless bodice and a gathered skirt with tiers of frills. The neck is trimmed with a self fabric frill at front and back and fastens with paired tie strings on the shoulders. In the manner characteristic of Lenci, all the edges are bound with machine-stitched felt, in this case in a deeper shade of pink; a spray of felt daisies and pink and magenta roses is attached at the waist to decorate the skirt, and another at the true right shoulder to decorate the bodice. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Elizabeth Grosch |
| Object history | The dress was worn by the donor, Elizabeth Grosch, born ca. 1925 (RF 85/1928) |
| Historical context | (Quote) Almost a trademark of Madame Lenci are the felt flowers used to decorate dresses. Dorothy Coleman in 'Lenci Dolls' (Hobby Horse Press, 1977) |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The former Italian firm Lenci was primarily associated with dolls and toys, but they did also make other products such as ceramics and a small amount of children's clothing. This dress has no maker's mark, but there are a number of similarities with the clothing of Lenci dolls: it is made of the two fabrics most associated with the dolls' clothing, is in a child-suitable but fantasy style reminiscent of some Lenci doll garments, and is trimmed with the firm's 'signature' felt flowers. The Lenci doll B.34:1-2003 in the museum's collections is also dressed in a pink organdie and felt frock, and it may have been the intention to market the clothing as an adjunct to the dolls in much the same way as the Barbie brand is used currently. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | MISC.324-1985 |
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| Record created | July 1, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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