Detailed long-sleeved bodice, exquisitely crafted buttons; and fringed from short front all along the longer portion of the back. Appears grayish with army green trim. Fringe is light green and some thread on buttons appear aqua. Sleeves (19 1/2 " long) flare at cuffs that are decorated with 5 layers of graduated ruffles on upper portion of cuff. Top of this triangle of ruffles sports a fabric bow. All trim is of main fabric with army green trim also used for the triangle faux tab with a button at the point that extends from the ruffles to the inside of the arm/sleeve.
Ruffles run the length of the front beneath a band of fabric trim. A front right section of the army green silk from neck to waist contains 12 1-inch buttonholes. On the left, 6 buttons remain (a 7th is pinned to a card) and 1 buttoncover that shows the fine work/stitching with the mitered tip of the hand-sewn triangles pointing toward the center front. 2 bust darts on both sides are stiffened with stays. Both straight and chain-stitch (1857 patent) on seams that are hand overcast. Double construction with tan polished cotton on inside of the entire garment. Commerically-made cord fringe, 3 1/2" long, sewn onto lower edge around entire top.
Back: Army green silk piece from neck tapers to a point at center back. Along inside edge, pointing to top, are trmmed ruffles with a 1-inch wide trimmed border band of main fabric. In addition to side seams there are 2 curved seams from arm seams to the center back waist where a large bow is attached. The back ,13" long below the bow, is trimmed with sides folded to a center pleat. Outer edges of pleat are trimmed with fringe. Inside of back panel is lined with army green silk.
Front (neck to waist) is 18 inches. Back is 28 1/2 inches.
Year Range From
1868
Year Range To
1870
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 2
Storage Cabinet
Unit 12
Storage Shelf
Shelf 3
Object Name
Bodice
Dimension Details
Front (neck to waist) is 18 inches
Back is 28 1/2 inches
Condition
Poor
Condition Date
2021-12-13
Condition Notes
Fabric worn and/or deteriorated in many sections. Some seams separated. Faded portions.
Object ID
W.1989.279.001
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Woman's overskirt of soft gray fabric. 1-inch wide waist band of main fabric on outside; tan cotton on non-public side.
Back: 11-inch placket opening with 3 hooks on right inside waistband. Only one eye remains on left outside of waistband. 2 hooks and 2 hand-stitched loops to close placket opening. 6 pleats on both sides between to side seams and center opening. 4 pleats on diagonal at sides to drape across back with a curved lower edge. Entire edge trimmed with ruffle pointing inside, a 1-inch band of main fabric with 1/8th-inch army green silk trim on both sides. 3-inch twisted pale green cord fringe attached at outer edge. At sides a half-circle piece of fabric is pleated in the back, trimmed similarly to back skirt and tacked up into place with a large fabric bow at the juncture.
Front: From waist (14 1/2 inches in front) sides of skirt front widen 4 1/2 inches to a vertical seam (1 each side). An additional piece is added on both sides to widen the skirt. These side pieces are pulled up and tacked in the back to create a balloon effect. Entire curved lower edge is trimmed similarly to the back.
Inside: Interior is tan polished cotton. At inside point where fabric bow is attached on the outside, where front of overskirt is attached to the back, there are lengths of dark brown cotton tape on both sides.
2 metal hooks are sewn on seams (1 each side) about 3 inches lower than the bottom of the placket.
At waistband, 2 lengths are sewn on: one at right opening; a second at side back seam on left.
Year Range From
1868
Year Range To
1870
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 2
Storage Cabinet
Unit 12
Storage Shelf
Shelf 3
Object Name
Skirt
Dimension Details
Back: 37 inches long with trim
Front: 24 inches long with trim
Waist: 23 inches
Condition
Poor
Condition Date
2021-12-13
Condition Notes
Fading, spots. One side of waistband at center back is shredded.
Object ID
W.1989.279.002
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Front skirt is 27 inches of tan cotton fabric with dark brown vertical design; brown polished cotton from 27-inch mark to waist. This polished cotton is covered by a 26-inch long lightly-pleated overskirt in the front. This overskirt is pulled up into horizontal pleats and sewn at the sides creating a ballooning drape in the front. Lower front has a three 4-inch wide box pleats tacked down on both sides about 7 inches above the hem. 10-inch placket in the back. 1 1/2-inch brown fabric waistband (28 inches) stitched to dark brown polished cotton inner skirt all around; and also to out tan cotton with vertical dark brown block at sides and front of skirt. a 13-inch section to puff out in the back is heavily gathered along 8 1/2 inches of the band. The additional 4 1/2-inch strip hooks to an eye on the brown waistband, 5 1/2 inches from the placket. The over/outer skirt in the back is full-length. The inner/under skirt is of brown polished cotton (same as lining) from waist. The bottom 7 inches is of the tan cotton with dark brown vertical design. Also of this fabric is the lower 3 inches (public side) of the skirt's lining.
Inside back: Attached to the side seams:
-2 each side at 10" and 18" from top are 13 to 14 lengths of white 1/2-inch wide cotton tape. 4 total
-One 17 1/2"-long (1/2" wide) fabric-covered pliable but stiff strips. Also tacked 6 inches from both side seams 9" from waistband;
-One 20 1/2 "-long strip (as above) but tacked 19 inches from the waistband
-Attached also at end of strips are 6- or 7-inch long 1/2-inch wide brown cotton tape strips, 2 with buckles with 2 sharp prongs; two with metal clamped on edges.
-Internal pocket attached at left side seam.
-
Flat, the skirt is longer in the back than in the front.
Raw edges on the seams are hand overcast.
Year Range From
1868
Year Range To
1870
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 2
Storage Cabinet
Unit 12
Storage Shelf
Shelf 3
Object Name
Skirt
Dimension Details
Length: 39 inches
Inner waist band: 28 inches
Object ID
W.1989.278.002
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Long-sleeved tan cotton with vertical dark brown blocks. Dark-brown velvet trim at neck, front, sleeve cuffs and center back pleat. Front closure with 15 brown velvet-covered buttons. 2 bust darts on each front. Deep vee in front of brown velvet with 1-inch standup collar (inside collar is cotton fabric of the rest of the garment.) Seaming done by machine, finishing by hand (hem, buttonholes, velvet trim on cuffs and seam overcasting). Fabric extension inside left front to be beneath the buttonholes. A panel ( 3 1/2 inches long x 2 1/2 inches wide). One piece from each side attached with 3 hooks and eyes, 8 1/2 inches above center front hem. This garment is constructed so it tapers at the waist and flares below to create a hem line that curves toward the center front & back.
In addition to back seams in center and sides, there are 4 additional curved seams (2 each side) starting at back armhole seams. 2 of these terminate to form a 3-inch wide velvet-lined double-fold box pleat at center back.
Year Range From
1868
Year Range To
1870
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 2
Storage Cabinet
Unit 12
Storage Shelf
Shelf 3
Object Name
Bodice
Dimension Details
Length: 21 inches
Sleeves: 22 inches long
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2021-12-13
Condition Notes
Some sport (rust-colored/brown) on front and sleeves.
Object ID
W.1989.278.001
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
One of 12 linen napkins. Square white damask cloth with two finished edges and two hemmed edges. Woven in white with cross-grain threads, central design circle of folded continuous ribbon with garlands of roses and bead-like strands 'hanging' from it. Embroidered 'B' at the corner of each napkin.
One of 12 linen napkins. Square white damask cloth with two finished edges and two hemmed edges. Woven in white with cross-grain threads, central design circle of folded continuous ribbon with garlands of roses and bead-like strands 'hanging' from it. Embroidered 'B' at the corner of each napkin.
One of 12 linen napkins. Square white damask cloth with two finished edges and two hemmed edges. Woven in white with cross-grain threads, central design circle of folded continuous ribbon with garlands of roses and bead-like strands 'hanging' from it. Embroidered 'B' at the corner of each napkin.
One of 12 linen napkins. Square white damask cloth with two finished edges and two hemmed edges. Woven in white with cross-grain threads, central design circle of folded continuous ribbon with garlands of roses and bead-like strands 'hanging' from it. Embroidered 'B' at the corner of each napkin.
One of 12 linen napkins. Square white damask cloth with two finished edges and two hemmed edges. Woven in white with cross-grain threads, central design circle of folded continuous ribbon with garlands of roses and bead-like strands 'hanging' from it. Embroidered 'B' at the corner of each napkin.
One of 12 linen napkins. Square white damask cloth with two finished edges and two hemmed edges. Woven in white with cross-grain threads, central design circle of folded continuous ribbon with garlands of roses and bead-like strands 'hanging' from it. Embroidered 'B' at the corner of each napkin.
