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Not currently on display at the V&A

Sleeve Ruffle

1771 (dated)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Sleeve ruffle in cream figured satin from a woman's dress. With a woven design of undulating trails with a butterfly-like spray design. Edged with a border of silk bobbin lace. Additional trimming of small bows of non-shiny black silk ribbon have been attached to it. The cuff consists of two gathered scalloped-edged wings, the top-most is smaller than the other one, and mounted over one another, and having an additional gathered heading inside which are fragments of the sleeve to which it was once attached. The 'wings' have been cut so that each is on a different 'lie' of the material. They are also pieced, the larger lower 'wing', in one with the band, in three places and the smaller upper wing in one. The joining seams are very fine. The stitching is small and even and on the surface, where they blend with the arrangement of the gathers, they are invisible.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Figured satin with a woven design, silk bobbin lace, trimmed with silk ribbon and stitched
Brief description
Sleeve ruffle in cream figured satin from a woman's dress, made in England, dated 1771
Physical description
Sleeve ruffle in cream figured satin from a woman's dress. With a woven design of undulating trails with a butterfly-like spray design. Edged with a border of silk bobbin lace. Additional trimming of small bows of non-shiny black silk ribbon have been attached to it. The cuff consists of two gathered scalloped-edged wings, the top-most is smaller than the other one, and mounted over one another, and having an additional gathered heading inside which are fragments of the sleeve to which it was once attached. The 'wings' have been cut so that each is on a different 'lie' of the material. They are also pieced, the larger lower 'wing', in one with the band, in three places and the smaller upper wing in one. The joining seams are very fine. The stitching is small and even and on the surface, where they blend with the arrangement of the gathers, they are invisible.
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Sleeve for slight mourning dress worn by Mrs Thomas Trigg via Dinah Baldwin 1771 [not clear] Given to F M Prentice by Fanny and Harriet Bird Royston Aug. 12. 1907.' (Attached on a piece of paper, hand-written in ink)
  • '81 15 Jun, 1982' (An auction paper tag, attached)
Credit line
Given by Sarah Franklin and Judy Wentworth
Object history
Registered File number 1985/56. White was acceptable as 'half' or 'slight' mourning wear.
Production
Catalogue of Christie of South Kensington, June 15, 1982, Lot 81. where the dress is described as 'A cuff of ivory figured silk edges with lace and trimmed with little bows of black silk. With note attached.'
Bibliographic references
  • Cunnington, P & Lucas, C. Costumes for Births, Marriages and Deaths. A&C Black, 1974. p. 246
  • Cunnington, P & Lucas, C. Costumes for Births, Marriages and Deaths. A&C Black, 1974. p. 146-147
Collection
Accession number
T.117-1985

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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