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1800's Thru 1920's
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[1850's-1870's] [1880's-1890's] [1900's-1920's]

C. 1840's/1850's Girl's Dress/Cape

This gown is so sweet and so typical of the mid-1800's. The dress is one piece with a matching cape and due to the very small size, I am guessing it was a young girl's dress. The dress has a small, stand-up collar and center front hook/eye front closure. Lovely green buttons accent the front closure of the dress; however the hook/eyes are the actual closure. The bodice is lined with unbleached muslim and does have some boning - two (2) in the front, one (1) on each side and one (1) at the center back (see Bodice Lining View). Piping encircles the lower edge of the bodice as well as the dropped shoulder armscyes (see Dress Bodice Details. The sleeves are narrow through the upper arm and widen as they approach the elbow and lower arm. Wide cuffs complete the sleeves. The cuffs are decorated with five (5) bands of green trim. The bodice is very fitted and ends in a point at the center front and back of the gown. The skirt is attached with wonderful gauging or pleating. A small watch pocket has been incorporated into the waistline seam (see Dress Bodice Details. The skirt also has a long side pocket which is sewn into the side seam. The skirt does have a hem protector and the circumferance of the hemline of the skirt measures approximately 135". A matching cape - simple in design - completes the outfit. The cape is made of the same fabric and the gown and is also accented with the same green trim and buttons as the gown. The center front closure is decorated with green buttons (not working) and five (5) bands of green trim. This trim also encircles the lower edge of the cape. The gown and cape are still in sturdy condition; however both have some moth damage and spotting. The gown has wear on the center front bodice opening (can be seen in photos) and some moth damage to the sleeves and back of bodice. There is some spotting on the back of the gown bodice and sleeves; however the major spotting is on the skirt (see Skirt/Skirt Soiling). I have not tried to clean the gown. There is also spotting in the lining of the bodice; however this is not visible from the outside. The gown is very small and makes a beautiful display piece.

Cape Bodice Views
Dress Bodice Views
Dress Bodice Details
Cape and Sleeve Trim
Skirt/Waistline Details
Skirt/Skirt Soiling
Bodice Lining View

PRICE: $775.00
ITEM NUMBER: VEC1359

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Toile Siamoise Skirt

This early vintage skirt was purchased from a French textile dealer. She was kind enough to give me a little history on the antique skirt. It belonged to someone of the working class and is made of a very heavy, sturdy cotton - similar to sailcloth or canvas. The material is a dark blue and white vertical stripe. French peasants often wore blue and white stripes as a symbol of their patriotism. The skirt is very simple in design. It has a drawstring waistband and blue banding or hem protector along the hemline. The skirt was usually worn over several petticoats - some which were longer than the skirt. It is very heavy and measures approximately 35" long. The blue is still vibrant. If anyone has anything to add, please let me know and I will add to this description.

Detail Views

PRICE: $425.00
ITEM NUMBER: VEC591

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Circa 1860's Quilted Gown

This vintage skirt and bodice looks like it belonged to a young girl or petite lady. The bodice is a nice combination of rust material and blue floral print silk(?). The bodice has a rounded neckline and drop shoulders (a thin piping accents the armhole). It has a center front hook/eye closure which is hidden with four bows. There are twelve additional bows - six on each side which begin over the shoulders and continue through the bottom front of the bodice. The floral print material decorates the top of the bodice, similar to a yoke or faux collar. The bodice has a straight cut in both the front and back. The sleeves are long with horizontally gathered flouces and two rows of scalloped material on the upper arm and two rows at the wrist. The underarm seam is piped. A 2 1/2" opening runs from the wristline and is lined with a cream colored silk. The bodice is lined with brown polished cotton; however the lining may have been redone or restored, due to the stitching in the center back - very neatly done and sturdy. There is a bone at the center front closure and one other in one side of the front - the other is missing. Hook/eyes and snaps have been sewn to the inside lining to keep the skirt in place. The skirt is done in the floral material and is quilted. The quilting is done in a diamond shape and the diamonds are much larger at the top of the skirt and gradually reduce in size so that the bottom of the skirt has a much closer quilting. The stitching in the quilting is all hand stitched. The skirt is lined with a brown polished cotton and this lining is included in the quilting of the skirt. The waistband is done in brown cotton with a button closure. The hemline is edged with a thin blue trim which has wear along the edge. The bodice and skirt are in very good condition and sturdy, however the floral material does have some wear areas. These are not readily noticeable because the material has an iridesence which hides the wear well. The bodice does have a small area at the center back neckline where the material has worn where it attaches to the piped neckline (outer material only). Measurements: bustline=30"-31"; shoulder to shoulder=13"; bodice center back neckline to hemline=13"; underarm sleeve length=17 1/2"; waistline=22" (button could be moved about 1"); skirt length=37".

Front Bodice View
Close-Up Neckline View
Close-Up Front Bodice Bows
Close-Up Shoulder Detail
Close-Up Sleeve View
Front Skirt View
Side View
Side Bodice View
Back View
Back Bodice View
Close-Up Bodice Material
Close-Up Skirt Quilting

PRICE: $650.00
ITEM NUMBER: DLC001

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C. 1870's Plaid Wrapper

The coloring and details of this beautiful wrapper are just beautiful. Unfortunately, my photos do not show the detailing of this gown. The gown is done in a green, red and blue plaid taffeta material. The gown has a black stand-up collar and center front button closure which begins at the neckline and continues to the hemline (some of the buttons are missing). The shoulder seams are slightly dropped and the sleeves are done in a coat style with a seam at the top and bottom of the sleeve. The sleeves feature wide cuffs which begin with a wide black horizontal band with wonderful rows of ruffled pleating which continue to the sleeve edge. The ruffles continue higher up the sleeve in the back than the front (can be seen at bit in the bottom photo in Bodice Views). For a more detailed photo of the sleeve detail, see Sleeve Detail. A wide black ruffle makes this gown extra-special! The ruffle encircles the neckline and continues vertically through the bodice (on each side of the center front button closure), through the waistline to approximately the mid- thigh, then continues across the back. This gives the gown an illusion of being two-pieces. The back of the gown is gathered for a low bustled effect with black pleated taffeta which continues to a small train. Unfortunately, my photos do not show just how lovely the pleating is. The gown also features a small watch pocket and decorated side pockets (see Underarm, Pocket & Cuff Detail. The gown is lined with unbleached muslim and the bodice has two (2) bones in the front and one (1) on each side (none in the back). The gown also has three (3) ties; one under the bustline, one at the waistline and the third below the waistline. Unfortunately, the gown does have damage. The material is worn and torn around some of the button holes (see Front Bodice Details and under the arms (see Underarm, Pocket & Cuff Detail). The gown is too delicate to wear but would make a very impressive display piece if repairs were made to the button closure. The gown measures approximately: bustline=29" and waistline=22".

Bodice Views
Front Bodice Details
Underarm, Pocket & Cuff Detail
Back Skirt Detail
Sleeve Detail

PRICE: $425.00
ITEM NUMBER: VEC1356

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1875-1880 Wool Chintz Wrapper

Very lovely 1875-1885 young ladies wool chintz wrapper. These types of victorian lingerie garments are becoming quite rare. This is constructed out of "chintz" and is all wool. The inside has wonderful calico cotton brown and white floral design lining. There is a "tie back" in the center back of the gown to produce a bustle effect. The sleeves are cut on the slight curve. The fabric is wonderful with dark brown stripes with meduim hunter green and brown floral stripes in between. The front panel is all dark brown wool that have hand sewn button holes. All the glass rectangular jet buttons are still on the gown and have a lovely gold squiggled pattern to them. There is a small amount of moth hole damage to the center front of the wrapper and there is also some damage on the sleeves. This is still a wonderful display piece. The back is the most wonderful part of this gown and has a "pleated" back that flows when the wearer is walking across a room. Very feminine and in wonderful condition. Chintz was an expensive fabric and was quite durable and warm when worn in the winter time. There was no central heating so these types of lined wrappers were very common and functional to wear during the cold winter months. A stunning vintage piece to add to ones lingerie collection.

Back View
Close-Up Bodice
Close-Up Back Bodice
Bodice Lining
Side View

PRICE: $400.00
ITEM NUMBER: NHC046

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Vintage 1890's Wedding Gown

Unfortunately, my photos do not do this beautiful gown justice. The two-piece cream colored wedding gown dates to the 1890's, but looking at the condition, you would never believe it! The material is lovely - light as a feather with a color on color floral print. The bodice features a square neckline with ruching encircling the entire neckline. Wide, cream moire ribbon ties accent each shoulder. The ruching around the neckline creates some gathering through the bodice. The sleeves are short and very full. The lower edge of the sleeves are ruched - matching the neckline. The bodice is very fitted and fully lined. There are 12 bones in the bodice and it has a hook/eye closure at the center back. The matching skirt is a-lined; falling flat in the front, but gathered in the back, creating a slight bustle look. The skirt has a hook/eye closure and a very slight train. The gown has a wide material belt with a center back hook/eye closure (hooks/eyes are missing). The back of the belt continues the ribbon theme, with long tails of cream moire ribbon which matches the ribbon on the shoulders. The gown is truely lovely and the condition is wonderful; however, the size is very small, especially with the boning in the bodice. Even though this gown is wearable, because of the small size, I would recommend it be used as a display piece. The gown measures approximately: bustline=32"; shoulder to shoulder width=11"; waistline=24" and skirt length=40". The gown is in very good condition, I do not see any spots of consequence; no underarm stains, etc.; however the ribbons need a bit of freshening.

Bodice Views
Bodice/Neckline Details
Sleeve Details
Bodice Lining Details

PRICE: $1,200.00
ITEM NUMBER: ALC122

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1894 Vintage Promenade Gown

This lovely vintage promenade gown of grey surah is nicely decorated with black moire ribbon. The gown is so typical of the 1890's with large full sleeves and small waistline! The bodice has a high collar that wraps around the neck with a hook/eye closure. A large black fabric flower accents the back of the collar. The top edge of the collar is decorated with a tiny cream trim. This is hand basted, allowing it to easily be removed for cleaning. A matching trim encircles the sleeve edge. The bodice has a center front hook/eye closure. It is fully lined in brown cotton and is boned. The center front portion of the bodice is gathered, adding fullness to the bustline. The bodice comes to a point at the center front and back. A large material bow accents the center back of the bodice. The bodice is decorated with vertical strips of black ribbon. A large shawl collar begins in the front and wraps around the shoulders and back of the bodice. This collar is also decorated with three rows of black ribbon. The sleeves are very full at the top and taper from the elbow to the wrist. Three rows of ribbon encircle the wrist. A black petersham is intact with hooks to help hold the skirt in place. The skirt is also fully lined, with a velvet hem protector and black ruffle sewn to the lining at the hemline. The skirt falls flat in the front with some gathering at the center back. The skirt has a center back hook/eye closure. The skirt has four seams and two darts in the front and two in the back. A deep pocket is sewn into one of the front lining seams. Two hanging tabs are sewn into the waistline of the skirt. There is also a handwritten cloth piece sewn into the bodice and waistline of the skirt. The cloth has the owners name - "Wiley". The bottom edge of the skirt is decorated with four (4) horizontal rows of ribbon. This gown is in very good condition. It does have some underarm staining, but due to the size of the sleeves and the color, the staining is not readily noticeable. There is also a stain at the lower edge of the sleeve. It looks like a water stain and gain is not all that noticeable due to the coloring of the gown. There are a few small scattered holes in the bodice (moth holes??) which again are not detracting. Both the bodice and skirt are in wearable condition and the material is still sturdy. There is no shattering. Approximate measurements: bustline=32"; waistline=25"; bodice length (shoulder to waistline)=15"; skirt length=39 1/2". The shoulder width is small, so I would consider this a petite size.

Bodice Views
Detail Views

PRICE: $495.00
ITEM NUMBER: VEC726

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C. 1898 Black Vintage Afternoon Gown

This lovely vintage afternoon gown is done in black satin-figured grenadine over a violet taffeta. Both the bodice and the skirt are trimmed with ruched black satin ribbon. The violet taffeta does not show through quite as much as the photos show, but enought to be noticeable. The bodice has a high collar trimmed with black horizontal ruching. The bodice is fully boned and has a center front hook/eye closure. The sleeves are long and fitted with a small cap overlay at the shoulders. The sleeves end with cuffs which are also trimmed with black ruching. The bodice is sturdy, except for the sheer black overlay and there is a smallvertical tear in the back (see photos). The skirt is also beautifully decorated with black ruched scallops along the bottom portion of the skirt. The skirt is fully lined and a hem protector encircles the hemline. The waistline on the skirt is weak. This gown is beautiful and would make an incredible display piece. I would not recommend wearing this vintage gown as the black grenadine is weak. The gown measures approximately: bustline=30; shoulder to shoulder width=12"; skirt length=39".

Bodice Views
Detail Views
Damage & Skirt Views

PRICE: $425.00
ITEM NUMBER: VEC1143

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