Name/Title
Dress, WeddingEntry/Object ID
1980.124.44Description
Oldest dress in Collection. Ivory cotton, brown floral print dress of Lavinia Sleeper Rollins. Material: textile. Size: 28" bust, 24" waist. Description: ivory cotton lawn with brown floral print design. Gigot sleeves with shirred heads that balloon and then taper to the wrist. Gathered skirt falls from high waistline. The upper bodice is gathered into a high, wide square neckline and raised midriff. Fastens in back with hooks and eyes.Context
Oldest dress in the collection. Donated by Mrs. Lee Rollins from the Rollins estate. The dress was worn by Lavinia Sleeper (1803-1857) for her wedding to Rueben Rollins (1809-1903) in New Hampshire in 1836. The Rollins moved to Minnesota in 1855. Their son, Samuel Sleeper Rollins, moved to Freedom, where the dress was passed down through later generations of the family before being donated to WCHS. Goes with corset/stays/jumps 102.90.2Clothing/Dress/Costume Details
Textile Details
Fabric
Early roller printed cottonMaterial
Plain cottonLining
MuslinColor
IvoryMade/Created
Date made
1836Time Period
19th CenturyNotes
All hand sewnLexicon
Legacy Lexicon
Object Name
Gown, WeddingClass
Clothing, OuterwearCategory
Personal ArtifactsDimensions
Dimension Notes
28" bust; 24" waistCondition
Overall Condition
GoodCondition Type
Wear to fabric, especially to sleeves. Holes, thinning and fading of fabric.Date Examined
Apr 8, 2026Examined By
Simmons, AnnaRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Rollins, Lavinia (Sleeper)Exhibitions
Exhibition
"This Old Thing"Notes
Previously exhibited from 05/1991 to 07/1991General Notes
Note
Due to the extremely small size of the garment, an inset has been created to expand the size to fit a petite dress form. The inset is to be pinned to the dress form and the dress positioned over and around it, to minimize the visibility of the discrepancy in size and fit.Create Date
May 6, 1991Update Date
April 30, 2026
