In divine, nearly perfect condition considering age, this authentic Victorian 2-piece dress is romantic and beautiful. The skirt and bodice are made from buttery printed cotton batiste. This dress is about 125 years old and just as wearable today as it was when it was first made.
It is a sublime dress that is worthy of any major collection or museum display.
The color is unusual the color of candlelight…warm and rich. Not really pastel yellow and not quite vanilla…but some soft place in between. The delicate floral print is in sepia brown.
The dress picks up the light in a unique manner, and the flow and movement of the fabric are exceptional. It is entirely hand sewn. Thousands upon thousands of hand stitches went into its creation.
This beautiful piece of American fashion history has never been on the open market before now and was said to be from a country estate in Northern Maine, in New England.
The leg-o-mutton sleeves are classic, and fashion historians will enjoy examining the pattern in detail. If you stretch a sleeve out onto a work table, you can trace that perfect leg-o-mutton shape that was made so fashionable in Paris beginning in the earliest moments of the 1890s, although referred to in books and fashion magazines before this time. These sleeves droop and drape over the arms…yards of gentle and soft gathers.
The skirt has double flounces around the bottom. There is one tiny, less than a dime-sized stain that is to the front of the skirt. This is a light color that is barely obvious and will require close inspection to be noticed. This might come out with professional attention, but again, is barely noticeable. The bodice and skirt have the original brass hook and eye fasteners. The bodice at the back is meant to overlap slightly.
The bobbin lace trim is entirely hand made as well, and the large satin bow made from heavy silk is original to the bodice. Both skirt and bodice have no underarm issues whatsoever and again are quite strong especially since this design was made from cotton. The fabric has the flow and movement of silk but the added cotton fiber strength. There is no fading in the colors whatsoever.
The front of the bodice features two decorative bands of batiste trimmed with handmade lace. These accentuate the feminine figure to the front and travel up and over the shoulders at the back.
This magnificent Victorian dress is designed for wear with a corset that will push up the bust; the measurement is 34 inches or 86 cm. The waist is 23 inches or 58 cm measurement at the most. The hips are 36 inches or 91.5 cm. The bodice has a flounce around the bottom, and this overlaps the waistband on the skirt. The skirt measures 42 inches or about 107 cm.
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