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Gown

ca. 1738 (weaving), 1770 - 75 (sewing), 1870 - 1910 (altered)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A woman's gown of cream silk brocaded in large floral motifs with shades of green, pink, blue and yelllow. The gown is in the English (tight-back) style, open down the front with elbow-length sleeves and single, scalloped and pinked sleeve ruffles. The pleated robings extend to the waist. The bodice and sleeves are lined with linen. The back of the bodice has stitched pleats; the skirts are pleated into the waist seam. The gown is made of five panels of silk and the skirts are partially lined with white silk taffeta.

The gown may have been converted from an earlier version of an English gown, by removing the robings below the waist and adding the sleeve ruffles. It was altered in the late 19th century for fancy dress, a stomacher (possibly from another 18th century gown) with silver bobbin lace sewn to the right front and hooks attached to the left front. Ruffles of coarse machine-made net were added to the sleeves.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, silk thread, linen thread, silver, metal; hand-woven brocade, hand-sewn
Brief description
A woman's gown, English,1770-75, cream silk brocaded with multi-colour flowers, Spitalfields, c.1738, altered 1870- 1910
Physical description
A woman's gown of cream silk brocaded in large floral motifs with shades of green, pink, blue and yelllow. The gown is in the English (tight-back) style, open down the front with elbow-length sleeves and single, scalloped and pinked sleeve ruffles. The pleated robings extend to the waist. The bodice and sleeves are lined with linen. The back of the bodice has stitched pleats; the skirts are pleated into the waist seam. The gown is made of five panels of silk and the skirts are partially lined with white silk taffeta.

The gown may have been converted from an earlier version of an English gown, by removing the robings below the waist and adding the sleeve ruffles. It was altered in the late 19th century for fancy dress, a stomacher (possibly from another 18th century gown) with silver bobbin lace sewn to the right front and hooks attached to the left front. Ruffles of coarse machine-made net were added to the sleeves.
Dimensions
  • Weight: 1.3kg
  • Shoulder to hem at centre back length: 142.0cm (approx)
  • Bust under armholes circumference: 90.0cm (approx)
  • Silk, selvedge to selvedge width: 51.6cm
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Given by Mrs F S Davey
Collection
Accession number
T.10-1939

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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