Name/Title
Three Piece Brown Linen Bodice, Cape and Bustled SkirtDescription
A) Skirt: Woven linen chocolate brown skirt waistline 29". No waistband - turned down self fabric of 1/2 - placket closed 10" from waistline - 5 hooks and eyes - 2 missing and 1 large hook and eye at top of center back. Two additional large metal loop - two on left hip and one on right hip - one at center back one 3" from center back the other on 5" from center on right side. A lined skirt with gores. Circumference 134" at bottom of skirt. It has a weighted hem of brown ribbon 1" wide. Self hem is turned up to 1-3/4" machine stitched down. Center front has 3 square drawn work. First square 15-1/2" from waistline and 1-3/8" X 1-1/2" square in a camel color silk thread. 6-1/4" from first square is second drawn work square 3" X 3" and is divided into making 4 squares in a 3" square and outlined with silk thread. 6-1/4" from second square is third square of drawn work is 4-1/4" X 4". 9 square of which lower edge is on hemline. 1" off of center front at waistline begins 4 feet strips which run from waistline to hemline. 9-3/4" from hemline begins a self-fabric 6 circle decoration 9-3/4" in length 4" in one area and 2-1/2" in other. The center front off right and left side are 2 additional strips with machine stitching goes from drawn squares repeat the same as center front. Back - decorative machine stitched tab 4" long and four strips again from waistline to hemline and a 6 circle design repeat. Center back has 2 felt strips 10-1/8" long on both sides of center back. Box pleat that covers inside of box pleat. 11" from top square is a 3" square of drawn work divided into 4 sections. Center back seam has 2 strips of 3/8" felt beginning at bottom placket to hemline 31-1/4". Condition: 2 holes on left center back gore, one on left hip 14" from waistband. Mend center front with self fabric 6" waistband. Second square on right hip ground work are pulling apart. 14 holes around square. Overall condition of garment is good to excellent.
B) Bodice: Woven linen chocolate brown bodice and skirt and cape owned by Dorothy Burnham - date about 1890. Beige and caramel lace on bodice and cape. Light beige open neck lace leaf pattern for yoke and jewel neckline - stand-up collar 1-3/4" high and 1/4" brown velvet ribbon outlines the edge of collar and neckline which 4 hooks and eyes on stand-up collar. Open machine lace of caramel collar overlap the light beige netting which extends from center front 9" along yoke edge with 2" extended beyond sleeve line. This is an oval shape with circle at both ends. Has a lotus flower insert. Width of this is 3". At center front caramel lace extends 10" from oval edge repeats the same lotus flower with roundel at top and bottom - daisy insert repeats same on each side of bodice. There are 5 hooks and eyes on left shoulder of beige lace. This beige lace extends on center front 12" down center front - unfinished at lower edge. Lace is turned back on side and left free until attached at armseye. The dark chocolate brown open weave linen allows the silk taffeta lining to show through on fitted bodice and sleeve. Drawn work on lower one-third of bodice are 1-1/2" square allowing the under lining to show. At center front and overlay rectangular shape 2-5/8" X 6-1/4" X 4-5/8" of the linen. This rectangular has two machine stitched 3/8" wide squares lightweight felt fabric outlining the overlay and the oval lace applies on top. At the yoke line where caramel lace is attached to bodice, there are 3 machine stitched tucks 3-1/4" long and 3 machine stitched 3/8" wide applied brown felt strips 12" long from yoke line to lower bodice edge. There are 3-1/4" machine made minute tucks completing upper bodice. Lower part of bodice is additional machine stitched felt 3/8" wide that outlines the drawn work of lower third of bodice. One strip is 3" in length beginning at rectangle of center front to 3 strips in center of bodice half. 'V' line extends from other edge of felt to under arms square which is 5-1/2" X 4-7/8". The same repeats on other half of bodice. Chocolate brown satin cummerbund which is 6-1/4" gathered at front which is 1-1/4" wide. The right side gathers into circle rosette with hook closure. Drawn work at cap of sleeve is 3" wide and is outlined with felt strips. The diagonal strip is 5-1/2" long. Plain underarm seam with some mending. The 2 sided under arm edge begins at seam. The 2 ell shaped design begins at under arm seam and is 3" X 10" and the other is 2-3/8" X 9-1/4". 3 more machine stitched felt at top of armseye and repeats at other half of sleeve. At cuff edge are 2 open laces beige and caramel. The caramel being the outer lace with 2 ovals to make sleeve edge - one overlays the other. Bodice back - beige lace yoke with overlay of caramel lace - 2 ovals of caramel lace and one 'V' shaped lotus flower design at center back. Lace applied to beige lace rounded 'V' point at edge which is free from bodice. Center back rectangle is stitched felt applied to bodice and is 6-1/4" length and 3" wide for inner one and outer one is 3" wide and 8" long. Shoulder blades are 3 felt strips which are 10-1/2" long. Applied separate fabric of open linen are 6 circles which attach at cummerbund area and are attached to 3 strips of felt. Drawn work the lower third of bodice is outlined in dome shape of felt machine strips that crosses at lower edge of rectangle. Satin cummerbund at center back is gathered tightly in 3 rows. Underlining of bodice is white silk taffeta double layer of bodice front. One is hand basted to outer brown linen fabric. Inner one repeats same shape fr-e (sic) at yoke line. Turned down hem machine stitched 1/2". Center from closure chocolate brown fabric has 6 hook and eyes. Inner free silk taffeta has 6 hooks and eyes and 5 snaps. There are 7 bones 3-7/8" long - one at center front 4" - one bone is missing from left front bodice. Beige lace attaches on armseyes by 2 hooks and eyes - 2 additional hooks and eyes attach caramel lace to beige lace on left front bodice silk. Bodice in good condition.
C) Capelet - Width of capelet varies - 10" at center front to 12" over shoulder - circumference at center 46-1/2" or 93" in all. There are 7 lace tabs - 4 at cape front, and are outlined with brown felt, satin lining for the beige lotus pattern on lace. The tab is 3-3/8" wide and 7-1/2" long for 2 center front tabs. Second front tab is 6" long and 3-3/8" wide. Shoulder tab is 6-1/2" long and 3-3/8" wide. Center back tab is 6" long with beige lace overlaying onto brown machine stitched upper edge of cape. Brown cotton bias circle 2-1/2" of width on bias strip of brown fabric at 34-1/2" and 25" on upper edge of cape. Machine stitched 12 rows circle the outside of bias strip 1-1/2" in depth. Two silk thread tassels and 1 satin decorative button cape closure at center front and two hooks and eyes on the bias strip. Description of lower edge of cape - The cape is outlined in 2 felt strips that have 3 machine stitching on each felt strip. Circle edge except for front ha s 'V' notch starts 3" from center front on point comes under second lace tab. Underlining is white silk which has shredded. Condition - outer fabric of cape and lace is in excellent condition.Acquisition
Notes
Donor: Grandchildren of Phyllis Burnham Alan