Woman's gown of ivory satin brocaded in coloured silks, 1745-50 and altered 1780s, British, silk designed by Anna Maria Garthwaite, woven in Spitalfields, 1744

Woman’s gown of oyster-coloured satin brocaded in coloured silks. The satin weave is 5 with an interruption of 2. The wefts of the brocaded design are bound only by decoupures and not by a separate binding warp. The brocaded pattern comprises two large sprays of flowers filling the width of the repeat, linked by upwards and downwards trails of pink and white rose buds. Among the identifiable flowers are auricula, morning glory and roses. From both sprays the flowers in upwards stems are brocaded in pink, fawn, lilac, white and black, while those hanging downwards are in shades of blue, yellow and red. Greens are used for the stems and leaves. The flowers are shaded in points rentrés. The selvedge is 4 mm (0.125 inches) wide, with two red stripes on a self-coloured ground in a Gros-de-Tours weave. The width of the silk (single comber repeat) between selvedges is 53.0 cm (20.75 inches).

The gown has a low wide neckline and elbow-length sleeves. The edges of the bodice meet at centre front and the back is fitted with 4 shaped panels at centre back. The bodice, lined with linen, is cut separately from the skirt, seamed at the waist, and shaped to a point at the centre front and back. The skirt is made of 5 panels of silk, open at the front, and faced with a deep border of cream silk sarsenet.

The gown was probably first made as a sack; piecing, fold marks and evidence of seams indicate that it was considerably altered in the 1780s. The right back panel of the sack appears to have been removed and parts of it used to piece together a new bodice and sleeves. Both the bodice and its linen lining are very heavily pieced, especially at the shoulders. A small piecing at the right shoulder is scalloped at the edge, possibly once a sleeve ruffle or decoration from a petticoat. The sleeves were bound with dark green silk ribbon.

There were further alterations in the late 19th century for fancy dress, when lace sleeve ruffles, and ribbon ties at the front were added. These have since been removed.

Given by Mrs Olive Furnivall

Silk designed by Anna Maria Garthwaite (born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, 1690, died in London, 1763)
museum number of design 5982.10.
Woven in Spitalfields, London; dress made in 1740s and altered in the 1780s

Object Type
Originally, the gown was probably a sack, with loose box pleats at the back to allow for maximum display of the silk pattern. The gown would have been open down the front, with folded-back robings and rectangular cuffs at each elbow. The last conversion in the 1780s to the style of that time was quite clumsily executed, suggesting that perhaps the gown had been handed down to a maid.

Design & Designing
The design is brocaded in coloured silks on oyster-coloured satin. Two large sprays of flowers fill the width of the repeat, linked by upward and downward trails of bright pink berries and rose buds. Among the identifiable flowers are roses, morning glory and auricula. From both sprays the flowers on upward stems are brocaded in shades of pink, fawn, lilac, white and black, while those hanging down are in shades of blue, yellow and red. A variety of greens colour the stems and leaves, and the flowers are shaded naturalistically by the weaving technique.

People
The freelance textile designer Anna Maria Garthwaite (1690-1763) received at least 40 commissions for silk designs from a Spitalfields master weaver called Mr Gregory. The design for this silk was one of them. There were a number of members of the Weavers' Company with the name Gregory, so we do not know his exact identity, but the designs she produced for him are some of Garthwaite's prettiest and most fashionable, and include patterns for brocaded lustrings, damasks, tissues and satins.

T.264-1966