Cream-colored cotton blouse. (originally white?) Horizontally-ribbed fabric. Long-sleeved blouse. Ends of sleeves, neck, and bottom of blouse have 1.25' crochet trim. 16 shell buttons down front of blouse, do not go the whole way to the bottom. Peplum bo (J. Walton)
Stiff (atarched?) cream-colored horizontally-ribbed fabric. Contoured long-sleeved top with lace-covered mandarin collar and lace-triimed edges on sleeves and lower edges. Front opening with 15 round shell buttons and 1/2-inch button holes. 4 full-length darts from bust to hem edge. Back has full-length, center and contour seams. Bottom edge is tapered with a lace-trimmed center pleast (7 1/2 inches long). Machine and hand-stitching (buttonholes, lace, tapes at sleeves). Two lengths of cotton twill tape sewn inside at back waist.
Cotton vest. Brown with tan mottled moire material with smocking at front of shoulder and at stomach. Fan-like, and V-shaped at bottom (waist). Very thin V-shaped piping around neck and down middle of front. Thicker piping around waist. Padding sewn at b (J. Walton)
C. 1840-50
Woman's top. Brown spackled cotton. Double construction with white lining. Closes in back with 15 hooks and eyes (only 2 hooks remain). Sleeves are missing--or whatever was attached at sleeve edges.
3 rows of gathering/ruching on each shoulder.
Center front tapers to point with 9 rows of tiny gahters tapering to point at bottom.
Made of heavy silk brocade. Blue background with beige and red colors in paisley design. Multi colored cording around collar, cuffs, pockets, and front. Lined in navy blue silk and batting quitled in diaper pattern -- machine stitched. Cording also used for front closre between collar and pockets; three pairs of corded loops anchored by an ornate triangular design of sewn cording with a mesh covered, barrel-shaped wooden button to hold the cord loop from the opposite side. Tassel belt. Inside back has band that can be adjusted/gathered. Two fabric covered buttons with cording at outside side seams for loops to hold the corded belt.
Textile is very fragile and is ripping in some areas. Ed 12/20/2016, VAP. Some stains, wear on lower edge right sleeve. Heavy wear at neck. Center back seam apart. Collar separating from neckline. Left side seam open.
Object ID
W.1940.012.001
Notes
Presented to James Buchanan by Chinese or Japanese Ambassador while Buchanan was Ambassador in England.
39.1 (blouse) Contoured top of satiny finely-striped orange-warm white fabric. Lace trim at neck, 6 inches wide. Front closure with 12 hooks and eyes. Entire bodice double construction with white cotton lining inside. A trapazoidal panel is attached to left center front. This panel has a center of orange and brown embroidered round fruits with stems and leaves on filmy fabric. Across center is a dark diamond-shaped bead attached to small dark irredescent seed beads. Similar beading on bands at shoulder.
39.2 (skirt) Satiny finely-striped orange-wamr white fabric. Back is slightly gored with 4 panels. Placket opening has a later addition to make it 8 inches wides. Closed with one hook and eye. Lining is plain white cotton. In back, one inner edge is hand pinked creating a seam finish. A commercially-made 6-inch long lace and pleat trim is hand-stitched inside.
Front of skirt: Waistband of folded white cotton 1/2-inch wide tape. A v-shaped waist front panel was covered with same orange and brown embroidered fruits with stme and leaves on a filmy fabric. 2 gore-like inserts of the plain fabric are decorated with layered cascaing strips of gathered 5-inch lace panels. Hem circumference is 140 inches (80 in back;60.5 in front).
Unusual sleeve construction with 1/2-inch band to which fabric is gathered for a puffy lower sleeve. Fabric is gathered to a 1 3/4-inch wide wristband covered with a lace band. A self-fabric bow is sewn to the upper side of the wrist opening.
Assumed to be traveling dress from latter part of 19th century.
84.41.1 is long-sleeved contoured woman's top of durable ribbed fabric. 2 bust-darts on both sides with stays from the waist up in all 4 darts. Collar and buttonhole panel, center front, of dark brown fabric. 13 hand-finished 1-inch buttonholes on right front. 11 buttons on right front. Buttons are covered in dark brown with 4-pointed brown stars in center. Set-in sleeves with 2 seams and tiny gusset at armhole. Cuff of same fabric is attached and folded up. Edge trimmed in a dark brown ribbed tape and 3 matching buttons on upperside of wrist and cuff. Front opening at waist opens like an upside-down "V." Center back seam runs from neck to hem. 2 seams run shoulder to hem; 2 additional seams run from armholes to hem.
Inside: Double construction with light tan fabric. One stay (4.5 inches long) is stitched to the center back seam from waist up. 4-inch wide pieces with 4 eyes on left and 4 eyes on right front, both contain vertical stays. Seam edges are overcast. On lower right front below buttonholes is an additional button hole on the inside only.
84.41.2- Long skirt of brown durable ribbed fabric. 1 1/2-inch wide waistband of same brown polished cotton as lining. At center front a 3-inch length of brown tape is sewn on the inside of the waistband creating a loop. A 9.5-inch placket in back is closed with a single black metal button and buttonhole. Center front is flat with 2 pleats. Top skirt measures 29 inches long. In back, top skirt is full, gathered and hiked up and tacked in center area. Underskirt upper portion is lining fabric. In the back (16.5 inches above hem) a casing holds brown fabric tape that has been pulled to gather fabric. The lower edge has a plain flat inner hem trimmed in a light brown tape. The portion of the underskirt that shows is 12 inches long with a 3-inch flat upper section; a 2.5-inch wide gathered section. The lowest 6.5-inch section is edged in dark brown trim with 1-inch box pleats about every 2 inches around the bottom edge. A 1/2-inch wide dark brown tape is sewn 1-inch above the hem edge around the entire skirt.
Inside, about 12 inches below the waistband is back, a band of brown fabric, 17 inches long is tacked to the lining in 3 places. On the right seam of the lining is a 'pocket' (17 inches long and 6 inches wide). Opening is a narrow 3 inches.
Small, cotton, pink child's dress. Drop-waist. From approximately the turn of the century. Trimmed with machine made lace. Square neckline. Buttons down back made of mother of pearl. Button holes hand made. Large tuck from cap of shoulder down front.
9in set in sleeves with lace trim 2.25in from cuffs. Same lace trim sewn on waist seam, around neck opening and on pleated skirt 6 in above hem. Machine made but for white cotton tape had stitched insde at skirt hem, seam where bodice and waist are joined. Pink cotton fabric tape hand stitched inside neck edge,. 8 back closure button holes are hand sttitched, 8 2 holed .25in shell buttons sewn on back. Front hem tear repaired.
Blue infant's dress. Silk taffeta. Hem and bodice lined with polished cotton. Sleeves lined with white cotton. Square neckline bound with self-fabric with drawstring in binding. Thirteen sets of tucks on either side of bodice and pressed toward center. Wide square neckline. Ornate bodice and sleeves with pin tucks, smocking, fabric covered buttons (3 on each sleeve, 8 on bodice front) and lace decoration, including edges of short, 5in, sleeves 1in band between bodice and skirt. Front center 3in of skirt is flat. Pleats facing center on both sides, front and back. 4in center back is gathered. Closure is 2 hooks and eyes at waist band in back. Decorative work around skirt, front bodice and on sleeves. Bodice lining and 3.5in interior hem of blue polished cotton fabric. Sleeves work in 2 fabrics together. Seems hand sewn.
Woman's bodice. Hook and eye fastening at front. Cream and sea green stripes (1/4'). Green silk covered metal buttons with star design stitched on front. But no buttonholes. Drop-shoulders with bishop sleeves. Staining, discoloration, mostly at underarms.
Petite bodice of green and ecru stripes. Green has slight sheen. body lined in white cotton; sleeves lined in white polished cotton. Set-in sleeves finished with narrow cording in same fabric. Inside wrist edge finished with green binding. Neck edge finished in dark green, with stitches show as dark green border on outside. Two arched pieces sewn onto back from sleeves curving to center with top stitching along curved edges. Two underarm pleats on sleeves. In back, two underarm stays one center. Two bust darts with stays on left and right. Ten hidden hooks and eyes fasten front. Six light green buttons are attached to front. Bottom waist finished with narrow rounded edge.
Black cotton shawl. Embroidered (by machine) with stylized rose pattern, bunches of hydrangeas and stylized tulips. Silk fringe of varying length. Longer at bottom back. Machine made.
Bodice, part of 3-pieces made of same fabric. (W.84.40.1, .2, .3) Purple silk-like fabric with matching embellished trims and fringe.
Inside: Main portion of bodice (lining & outer fabric) sewn by machine. 5 front stays: 2 bust dart stays (7-8 inches) on each side; one center front. Pieces of machine-knit fabric sewn at underarms (for sweat absorption?) 4 large hooks sewn at waist level match 4 eyes sewn on waistband to hook bodice and skirt. 6 smaller hooks sewn to bottom interior edge, 3 each side.
Outside back: Stiffening on back opening with 14 overcast holes on both sides for lacing. At top opening, fabric tape that's encased around entire edge of neckline can be pulled to gather low front neckline to fit across the chest. 3/5-inch long lightly gathered trim (with lace edging hand-stitched to upper edge) stitched around neckline. 1-inch wide purple ribbon embellished with white stem and leaves is hand-stitched from V/peak at center front up and over shoulders and down back of bodice ending with two 7.5-inch tails below center back opening. Purple and white fringe trim sewn around edges.
Sleeves: Bell-shaped sleeves trimmed with 2 encircling 2-inch wide bands of purple with purple and white diamond chain design. Top edges are trimmed with short .5-inch purple and white fringe. Lower edges trimmed with 2-inch dark purple fringe. Long sleeves inside out bell-shaped sleeve are constructed of fine fabric with lavish 10-inch trim at bottom.
Provenance
Said to have been worn to James Buchanan's inauguration.
Dressing gown. Main fabric is wide green and rust vertical stripes with narrow red and white vertical stripes. Thin cream horizontal stripes. Black velvet trip down front opening, around cuffs, at shoulder-to-sleeve seam, on pockets, around hem. Bell sle
Woman's cape with black satin material trimmed around collar, down front, and along edges with (3.75') black lace gathered in folds with bead-covered ball-like tassel accents. Long tail-like front, shorter pleated back. Cut up for under arms. Hook-and-eye closur (J. Walton)
1/29/2018 Black satin exterior and lining. Bell-shaped contour, curved shoulders flare with a gore/insert on front lower arms. These sections narrow into strips that are attached to a waist band inside the garment. Long panels (31" neck to base) form front opening. 7 hooks on inside rightfront hook inot black thread loops on left side. Neck, front opening and all lower edges. Black lace with dangling black bead globes (58) adorn edges, including collar. Braided hanger loop. Both machine and hand-sewing.
2 piece dress of Rust Moire. Skirt is plain, gathered at back, longer at back. Two pleats at front, one on right front has pocket in seam. Double hook-and-eye closure at left. Flat waistband with two hooks and eyes. Two narrow gores on both front side seams. Skirt is lined. Skirt length in front is 33in compared with 96in in the back. Fabric for back of skirt is gathered into tight pleats at teh waistband. The hem edge is bound.
Bust is 37' Sleeve is 21' Skirt length is 49.5' Waist is 26'
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2016-12-21
Condition Notes
some spotty stains, mending. Tears on waistband at back seam and at fastening area at left placket opening. Waistband fabric is too weak for weight of skirt.
Part of a four-piece dress. Jacket: Short sleeves with cuffs. Dark blue velvet fully-lined in cream-colored silk with batting between two fabrics. 2 small leather-lined pockets on left inside. Hand-stiched strip on linging at lower edge right front. 3 hooks and thread-covered eyes at waist front. Parallel lines of sticthing on body at sleeve openings and at waist and on 3 bands around neck as well as front and silk at opening. Blue velvet strips have buttons in back and at tabbed ends on front. 4 tabbed front closure peices have buttons. Machine and hand-stitching.
Part of a four-piece dress. Blue velvet bodice with pointed lower front edges. Raw edges at collar, sleeves, and along waist/ bottom edge. Fronts have two bust darts. Right front has 21 buttonholes finished in buttonhole stitch. Left front has threads where buttons (now missing) had been sewn on. Front has batting between velvet and lining. Finely finished interior with 11 places for contour stays -4 have stays; 2 each front and 1 behind each underarm seam. 4 1/2 inch long brown fabric piece with 5 hooks inside right front; piece with 5 eyes on inside left front, attached at waist to reduce strain of buttons/ buttonholes. Brown twill tape as backing for buttons.
With garment are two lined tabs, tacked together. Metal pieces inside tips. 3-parallel lines of stitching around outline of both tabs. Top edges are raw, unfinished edges, White mesh stiffener between velvet and lining.
Part of four-piece dress. Skirt: Deep royal blue velvet skirt. Machine and hand stiching. Vertical seams are machine-stitched as are parts of satin band/ tape at waist edge.
Closure back: 2 hooks and eyes one waist edge. 5 shaps on pleated placket.
Decortative band (7/8 inches wide) sewn on with 3 parallel rows of stitching. Interiror seams in back of garments have bound edges. Some other seam edges appear to have been overcast. Hem is lined with 20 inch (at rear of skirt) to 8 1/2 inch (at front) of navy satin. Back panel appears to be a different fabric. 2 black tape tabs sewn onto inside waist.
2 piece dress of Rust Moire. Bodice has bishop sleeves with double row of same material ruching above end of sleeve. Corduroy-covered rounded button closure down front, originally had eleven buttons, six are missing. Deep V at front and back center at waist 5 in below waist. Plain rounded neckline without collar. two 1in gathered bands of same fabric decorated sleeves and run from from lower front, up front waist, and has self fabric covered weight sewn on underside. Machine and hand stitcihng. 10 stays. Lined with brown cotton fabric with lighter weight fabric in sleeves. Seam raw edges overcast 4 hooks and eyes along inside from waist up.
Off-white nightgown. Long sleeves with single button at wrist. Buttons down front to 2.75' hem. Off-white color. Narrow, folded collar. Collar, yoke, and cuffs decorated with eyelet, machine embroidery, and mini-braiding scallop edging. Interlocking patt
Two-piece cotton dress: bodice and skirt. Lightweight fabric, white with blue thistle plant print. Button front with round mother-of-pearl buttons on bodice. Pleated front and back. Stand up collar, long sleeves. Vertical pleats on front, 5 on each side. Buttons along waist which correspond with buttonholes on skirt. Ruffles are seewn onto the skirt 20in below the waist and at the skirt's hem. A .25in tuck allows the skirt to be lengthened.
