1770-1780. Red Silk Open Robe
Fitted pieced bodice with low square front neckline and fitted elbow length sleeves. Rectangular shaped inset on left and right fronts near armholes connect to shoulder sections. Center fronts extend below waistline. No fasteners evident to secure left and right front sections of bodice. Back bodice created from pieces with a center back seam extending to deep V shape and shaped side back pieces that connect to pieced front bodice sections. Bodice, front and back, is lined with plain weave medium weight linen. A strip of more tightly woven linen is used on inside top edge of front neckline.
Elbow length sleeves feature two tucks at inside elbow to shape sleeve. Sleeves also lined with plain weave linen. Sleeves generally set-in style with squarer rather than round sleeve caps, points of the squares pointing toward each other in back.
Skirt: Very full with small pleats (about 3/8") controlling fullness at bodice/skirt seam. Skirt does not meet at center front. Petticoat is needed to fill gap at front of skirt. Open slits with finished edges at left and right hip of skirt to allow hands to access pockets. Linen tapes sewn to waist seam and skirt panel allow creation of rear bustle or polonaise effect when tied together.
HCT.1988.318.130
1770-1779
1780-1789. Man's Cutaway Coat
Brown/green striped velvet coat that does not close but gradually tapers from center front neck to the sides and has a center back vent. Coat has a 3.5" high stand collar and long two piece sleeves with 4" wide self fabric cuffs. The front is cut on the bias so stripes angle in toward the neck. The coat has 2 deep - 12" wide hip pockets with shaped pocket flaps. Four inch wide floral sprig (daisy, and other wild flowers) embroidery decorates the center front, cuffs, back, collar and pockets, along with a line of off-white satin stitch and satin-stitch covered paper circles. Nine fabric and embroidery-covered buttons and button holes decorate the front of the coat; six button holes are cut open, 4 have uncut embroidered lines. Three buttons decorate each sleeve and each pocket. The coat is lined with off-white silk satin except for the center back which is flannel. The embroidery sections are reinforced with jute backing. There is no lining in the sleeves.
HCT.1989.318.45
1780-1789
<span>Additional fiber images and information available at <a href="http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/1780-1789,_Man%27s_Cutaway_Coat,_flax_back_lining" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the CAMEO Materials Database at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.</a></span>
1790-1810, Man's Cotton Vest
Man's off-white cotton vest with alternating vertical stripes of 1" plain weave and 3/4" twill (15 ribs) pattern stripe; notched lapel, hip welt pockets 10 covered-button closure with additional row of buttons to left; collar, lapels, front edges and hems, buttons and pocket welts embellished with flat metal sequins, and metal thread chainstitch and purple, blue and yellow thread embroidery of a fine tracery pattern; back of collar off-white plain weave cotton; back, pocket linings and lining of vest of off-white linen; hand-stitched.
HCT.2003.42.7
1790-1810
1820-1839 Man's Coat
Natural-color cotton tail coat; double breasted with notched lapels. Garment is completely stitched by hand. Fall of collar is four inches wide. Hand stitches evident around back neck of collar at fall (or fold) line and approximately one inch below on stand of collar, possibly to give extra body to collar shape. Collar does not appear to have any interfacing or additional stiffening.
HCT.1988.425.4
1820-1839
1840s Brown Silk Dress
Dark brown silk satin damask gown with rose motif; pointed bodice and v-neck; shirred sleeves with shirring down front of bodice to point; piping along waistline; shirred ruffle down front of skirt (off center).
HCT.1988.318.141
1840-1849
1850-1852, Boy's Dress
Blue horizontally ribbed silk boy's tunic/dress has natural neckline with no collar, long 2-piece sleeves and corded waist seam. Box pleated skirt has 2 3/4 band at hem that is finished with cording. (This could be a later addition since the lining fabric is a different color from the rest of the dress.) Dress has center front button opening with seven 11/16 diameter mother of pearl buttons and hand worked button holes. Dress is padded with batting and lined with off-white china silk, all hand stitched.
HCT.1986.117.2
1850-1852
1855-65, Brown Wool Floral Print Dress
Dark brown wool challis screen printed floor length dress with horizontal bands of geometric floral motif in tan, blue and red/orange.
Bodice with round piped neckline and center front opening to waistline has 11 goldstone(see notes) buttons and buttonholes closure. Button shanks secured through unfinished holes in bodice with strip of brown twill fabric that runs through shanks and is stitched to bodice underlining; hand-worked buttonholed. Rectangular strip of self fabric (2.5" x 1/5") at center front lower proper right edge of bodice extends from under right bodice and has two hooks to secure bodice and full skirt beneath in place. Hooks fasten to metal loops on small fabric extension under bodice front left and attached to skirt front left. Two darts on each side of front bodice from waistline seam and extending toward bust form V-shaped design. Bodice back with curved and top-stitched princess seam from center back waist to mid-point of back armscye. Shoulder seam slightly to back of garment. Piped waistline seam. Bodice fronts underlined with light brown cotton twill fabric, bodice backs lined with light brown cotton plain weave.
Pagoda sleeves set into dropped shoulder piped armscye with stitched-down box pleats to control fullness at sleeve cap. Two inch black velvet band encircles and trims edge of sleeve hem. Sleeves lined with blue cotton chintz and faced with dark brown cotton chintz.
Very full, floor length skirt--6 selvage to selvage panels ~24" wide, unlined with cartridge pleats at waistline seam. Ten inch long open placket below waistline seam of skirt slightly left center front. Hem faced 5" wide with blue cotton chintz fabric found in sleeve linings. Brown wool braid finishes edge of skirt hem.
One inseam pocked of tan cotton chintz in skirt right front. Same chintz faces cartridge pleats.
Garment entirely hand-stitched.
HCT.1995.999.11
1855-65, Brown Wool Dress
Brown wool challis with floral spray print in pink, red, green, white gold and tan.
Bodice with round piped jewel neckline and center front button opening to piped waistline seam with nine 3/4" floral motif metal buttons and hand worked buttonhole closures. Hook and eye at front waistline just left of center. Garment hand sewn.
Two inch wide silk ruching in solid contrasting color (bronze like tan) extending from waistline up center front veering out over shoulder and continuing around upper back encircling neckline of garment. Front bodice has four strips of boning (two each side) in darts from waistline seam extending up into garment six inches, and one bone right center front next to buttons. Bodice fronts extend to side back.
Garment back has two seams emanating 1/4" from center back at piped waistline seam, curving and ending at mid-section of back sleeve seam; seams top-stitched. Bodice underlined with heavy dark gold colored cotton twill fabric.
Drop shoulder, long, full barrel sleeves with matching silk ruching at the shoulder and lower hem edge, with ruching encircling arm. Sleeve underlined with polished cotton, wrist facing silk fabric same as decorative ruching. Armscye seam piped similar to neckline and waistline seams.
Very full floor length skirt, six panels, with cartridge pleats around entire waist. Two hooks to secure center front placket opening in skirt--one on bodice waist; one corresponding loop on bodice, the other on inside of skirt "waistband" extension. Skirt completely underlined with dark gold colored polished cotton. Hem finished with 1/2" braid.
HCT.1986.191.3
1855-1865
<span>Additional fiber images and information available at <a href="http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/1855-1865,_brown_wool_and_cotton_dress,_cotton_warp_and_cotton_lining" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the CAMEO Materials Database at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.</a></span>
1855-1865, Silk Striped Dress
Piped round jewel neck bodice with center front opening to waist with 15 hook and eye closures. Two darts on each side of front bodice from waistline seam and extending in V-shaped toward bust of garment-boning missing from 3 darts. Bottom of bodice bound in self fabric binding. Center front of bodice extends 1" below waist in slight curve but is no longer visible from outside due to current construction.
Back bodice features back shoulder seams and side back seams from waist to armscye plus two curved princess seams emanating from 7/8" from center back at waistline seam to same point of side back seams at armscye; seams top-stitched. Right bodice front is pieced at side seam; patch repairs under arms. Bodice underlined in cotton twill fabric. Waistline seam is piped.
Dropped set in long pagoda/bell sleeves (armhole seam also piped) with triangular shaped inset extending from above outside elbow down to sleeve hem. Two rows of brown 2.5" silk fringe trims sleeves -- one row at sleeve hem edge; one row outlining seam of triangular shaped inset. One inch diameter braided (non-functioning) button with tassel used as trim on each sleeve at top point of triangular inset. Sleeve underlined in tan polished cotton and self-faced.
Very full floor length skirt with small, fine pleats--sloppy cartridge pleats--to control fullness. Six panels 21" selvage to selvage. Inside waist excess fabric shows evidence of alterations and use for repair. Four inch long center front placket opening in skirt. Pocket of bodice lining material (tan cotton) in skirt side front seam. Skirt unlined; hem faced with 8" wide polished tan cotton. Edge of hem finished with purple wool or hair braid.
Garment entirely hand sewn.
HCT.2003.4.1
1855-1865
<span>Additional fiber images and information available at <a href="http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/1855-1865,_Silk_Striped_Dress,_silk_fabric_and_fringe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the CAMEO Materials Database at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.</a></span>
1855-1865, Purple Cotton Dress
Hand sewn, well-worn and faded red violet cotton dress with tan and white vertical print design. Bodice has jewel neckline and long full barrel sleeves gathered into dropped shoulders with armscye piping at sleeve cap. Sleeves tightly gathered into narrow 1" cuff that closes with hook and eye.
Bodice front has waistband with front fullness gathered into it; center front opening of dress extends into skirt 8", with 3 shell buttons and buttonholes on bodice over fitted inner bodice of white cotton that has 2 front waist darts and fastens with brass hooks and eyes. Bodice fronts extend to side back and back shoulder seams; bodice back has no additional seams. Bodice waist seam piped at lower edges where it attaches to skirt.
Full skirt, six 24.5" wide panels, cartridge pleated and sewn to bodice; one 1" horizontal tuck 11.5" from hem decorates skirt; self-fabric pocket at side front seam; 6.5" hem facing of tan cotton; narrow turned-up hem.
HCT.1997.2.6
1855-1865
<span>Additional fiber images and information available at <a href="http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/1855-1865,_purple_cotton_dress,_cotton_dress_fabric,_lining,_hemlining" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the CAMEO Materials Database at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.</a></span>