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

Gown

1790s (weaving), 1795 - 1800 (sewing)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A woman's gown of pale blue figured silk. It is closed at the front witha high waist and long, one-piece sleeves to the wrist. The gown is made of 4 widths of silk with two triangular gores of silk at each side. There is no waist seam, except for the centre back, where the skirt is finely pleated into the pieced diamond-shaped back. The front neckline of the gown is curved, with a hem casing and drawstrings (cord are later replacements), and an opening in the seam at centre front. The bodice and sleeves are lined with blue silk taffeta. The bodice front linings are separate from the bodice fronts. The front edges of the bodice lining are boned with 6 worked eyelets. There is a narrow belt of silk attached to each side seam for fastening at the front.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk, silk thread, whalebone; hand-woven, hand-sewn
Brief description
A woman's gown, 1795-1800, English; Pale blue figured silk, French, 1790s
Physical description
A woman's gown of pale blue figured silk. It is closed at the front witha high waist and long, one-piece sleeves to the wrist. The gown is made of 4 widths of silk with two triangular gores of silk at each side. There is no waist seam, except for the centre back, where the skirt is finely pleated into the pieced diamond-shaped back. The front neckline of the gown is curved, with a hem casing and drawstrings (cord are later replacements), and an opening in the seam at centre front. The bodice and sleeves are lined with blue silk taffeta. The bodice front linings are separate from the bodice fronts. The front edges of the bodice lining are boned with 6 worked eyelets. There is a narrow belt of silk attached to each side seam for fastening at the front.
Dimensions
  • Shoulder to hem at centre back length: 199.0cm (approx)
  • Bust of lining, under armholes circumference: 84.5cm (approx)
  • Silk, selvedge to selvedge width: 54.8cm
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Given by Mr J. Sassoon
Collection
Accession number
T.4-1964

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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