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.
Dress worn at Behren's graduation from Stevens High School (formerly on the corner of Chestnut and Charlotte streets) in 1912. Cream colored lace. Donor thinks that a sash was once worn with it. Opens down back and fastens with hooks and eyes. Elbow-length sleeves. Calf/ankle length skirt. A dress or fine slip would have been worn beneath. Dress owned by donor's mother.
Black silk taffeta dress, circa 1910. Trim is of dark chenille, chain stitched embroidery on each side of central front panel. Snaps fasten at left front.
Black sequined , floor length gown with several layers and lace overgown. Bodice: solid black fabric with 5.25 in band 2in above waist, with 8 stays 2 each front, sides, and back. Band design of medallions and starbursts of various shades of blue embroidered to netting. Some gold thread in circles. Band had stitched to dress at top edge tacked at intervals at bottom. Closed with hooks at back. Overlay of black netting with black sequins tapering to 5 in long points with equin covered dangling about every 2 in apart (19 balls total) in front. 5 balls remain in back (4 points in back) solid black bodice solid black bodice is a "v" in front. Black lace covers neck to front waist "v." 4.5in high collar with 5 stays to support collar of 2.5in wide band of black lace, lined with sheer fabric. band of gray fabric is hand stitched to top with gathered black netting. Closed with 8 black hooks and eyes.
Set in long sleeves (26in from shoulder to cuff edge) of same black netting as neck, lined with sheer black fabric. Short sleeve of solid black dress fabric. 2 in placket at cuff edge with 2 small black shank buttons and thread loops for closure. Top of cuff decorated with 3 gray ribbon flowers with black sequin centers and one gray ribbon knob above center flower. Sleeve edge is trimmed in gathered black netting. (1.5in wide).
Skirt consists of three layers.Fisrt layer is black netting with black in vertical floral designs in sequins cascading from thigh area to hem. .75 in wide black folded fabric sewn about 1in above lower edge in alternating 3.5 in and 9 in loops. Lower edge back with gathered black filmy fabric 1.5in wide.
Second layer is underskirt of sheer fabric, with 1.5in wide gathered strip of same fabric.
Third and innermost layer is solid black fabric. gathered 7in wide strip is attached 11in from hem. Below that a 4 in wide panel with 5 rows of pintucks. The bottom is edged in gathered 1.75in wide strip of black fabric
All three layers tacked to one another about 10-11 in. 2 closures in back. Placket 1 solid black fabric dress placket, 19in long with 18 metal hooks and eyes, some alternating (hook, eye, hook etc) on one side. Placket 2 lave and sequins beginning at base of decorative blue-desgn, 14in long with 19 hooks and 10 black thread button hole stitch "eyes" for hooks. Placket is torn at base.
Floor-length white cotton apron with 6" high gathered bib machine sewn to 2.5-inch waist band for gathered skirt apron open in the back. 2 bands attached to bib go over shoulders & are crossed in the back before they are pinned to the skirt. There are 2 buttonholes on each side of the waist band. Labels sewn onto both bib & skirt in front. Saint Joseph Hospital School of Nursing, Lancaster.
Mennonite cotton bonnet, winter grey. Previously stored in box printed, "Kraus Millinery / 209-211 West King Street / Lancaster, Pennsylvania" Owned by Barbara Sue Trout of Landisville, PA. See more info in Archives.
Mennonite cotton bonnet, black. Previously stored in box printed, "Kraus Millinery / 209-211 West King Street / Lancaster, Pennsylvania" Owned by Barbara Sue Trout of Landisville, PA. See more info in Archives.
Steel shoehorn with folding button hook used as promotional advertising. Stamped into horn is "ELECTRIC / SHOE REPAIRING / SHOP. / ORANGE & PRINCE STS. / LANCASTER, PA." with adjacent decorative scrolling alongside "Milady's / SHOE HORN". Base of button hook reads: "PATENT / PENDING" on one side and "J. L. S. / MFG. CO / NEWARK / N.J." on the other.
