1900's Black Silk Chiffon and Lace Gown
This gown is made of black silk chiffon, finely pin tucked, and inset with five different kinds of lace throughout. The gown is from the turn of the century (1900 to 1905), is made in the mono-bosom style and features a high collar with boning at the side seams and the center back, a natural waistline and full length sleeves.
The gown is full length with a small bustle (separate piece) and a small train in back and ends in a two inch black chiffon dust ruffle. The high collar is made of a finely pin tucked tulle which is trimmed in a black metallic lace at the top of the collar and in a V at the bottom of the tulle on the bodice. The top of the collar is decorated with a line of small jet crystals.
The bodice features a central embroidered floral detail and is flanked on either side with large (approximately ¾ inch) tucks and embroidered trim. The tucks and trim frame the bodice, front and back, feathering horizontally from the shoulders to the elbows. From the elbows the sleeves change to the vertical pin tucks in the black silk chiffon, which are gathered into the lace cuffs. The cuffs close with loops and two tiny black tatting wheel buttons and two mother of pearl buttons.
The five different laces that decorate the gown run from the very fine floral lace at the waist and the oval motifs, to the heavier embroidered and corded laces of the bodice and sleeves. The large lace which runs down the length of the skirt and trims out the cuffs and the hem has a small geometric pattern. The metallic lace of the collar is more of a scroll design.
Thirty oval jet medallions are the main feature of this gown. They are about 2 - 2.5 inches long and are surrounded with smaller jet and black glass beads. Two sit vertically on the bodice at the corners of the embroidered detail, and six sit under the lace oval insets at the hips. Three decorate the waistline and are oriented horizontally, one is at the center front waistline and there are two above and below the waist at center back. The 25 other jet medallions sit horizontally above the hem of the skirt.
The gown closes at center back with 2 jet medallions (closed with hook and loop) at the waist, 17 tiny black corded knots and loops, and 6 mother of pearl buttons and loops (tulle collar).
The underdress is made of off-white organza, has a three layer pleated ruffle at the hem and a three layered ruffle in the bodice to fill out the silhouette of the mono-bosom.
HCT.1991.655.155
1900-1905
1900's Ivory Silk Chiffon Evening Gown
A two-piece ivory silk chiffon-satin evening gown with a subtle stripe. Twisted chenille yarns with gathered pieces of lace form tulip-like adornments that hang from bodice neckline, front and back, sleeve hem, and from sash at center back.
HCT.1988.418.82ab
1903-1906
1900s Black Tail Coat and Trousers
Black wool tailcoat, vest and trousers. Jacket has silk faille peaked lapels, satin covered buttons, inside left and right breast double welt pockets. It is lined with a black silk twill in the body and black/white striped silk twill in the sleeves. Vest has rounded shawl collar of self fabric, 3 satin covered buttons with keyhole buttonholes and welt pockets on either side. Vest back is black silk twill and inside lining is off-white cotton twill. Trousers have braid stripe down the length of the side, button fly closure, suspender buttons, front waist watch pocket and rear double welt pockets.
HCT.1988.389.3a-c
1900s Gray/Pink Wool Wedding Dress
Gray wool twill two-piece dress with pink silk taffeta collar, yoke and cuff detail, trimmed with lace.
Bodice. Hook and eye closing at left side. Short bodice with blouson insert at center front and pink pin-tucked silk yoke. Long sleeves with pink silk inserted puffs at wrists and pointed cuffs with off-white lace applique. Four inverted pleats at center back. Brown cotton lining with princess line seams instead of inverted pleats like outer layer. Bound edges. Boning with pink casing. Underbodice with hook and eye center front closure.
Skirt. Long gored skirt with 8" double flounce with 3 rows of top-stitching at hemline. Placket at center back, 2 large pleats on both center back panels. Brown lining with hand-overcast seams. Brown velvet bound hem.
Collar. Pink silk detachable 3" stand-up collar with pin-tucks and off-white applique.
Belt. 1 1/2" shaped belt with top-stitching and pointed edges.
HCT.1986.187.1a-d
1902
1900s Woman's Gym Suit
Three piece denim gym suit with brick red braid trim on jacket and skirt: Jacket/bodice, skirt, and bloomers.
a. Jacket/bodice.
Collar band (3/4" wide) in denim. Additional collar band (1.75" wide), with 3/4" brick braid sewn to top edge, stitched to bodice at neckline from center back, over right shoulder to center front. At center front, 1.75" band is loose and wraps around neck, over left shoulder and fastens at center back with with two hooks and eyes. Additional hook and eye near left shoulder seam of bodice and neck band. Neck band lined with unbleached broadcloth fabric. Center front opening with six hook and eye closures. Three vertical tucks emanating from shoulder seams to waistline stay. Brick braid butts up against vertical tuck closest to center front, extends to midriff and makes a right angle, with mitered corner, to center front. Right front of bodice features additional vertical tuck forming placket like construction down center front. Two horizontal rows of brick braid stitched across "placket" construction below bust. Two vertical tucks in back bodice with braid trim butted up against edge of tuck closest to center back. Waistline stay of twill tape with two rows of stitching to hold pleats in bodice front and back forms fitted silhouette at at waistline. Tucks continue below waistline to hem of bodice, three inches below waistline. Five loop eyes of bodice (one each at side seams and three across back) hook to respective hooks at skirt waistband. No hooks on bloomers. Presumed that with bloomers, bodice worn on worn on outside or on top of bloomers at waistline. Hem edge of bodice bound with black bias tape, handstitched in place. Long set in sleeves with placket and three inch cuffs, double topstitched. Cuff link closure with one buttonhole on each edge of cuff.
b. Skirt.
Nine gore denim skirt with center back stitched down pleat. Below knee (30" long at center front), side front patch pockets with "V" topstitching at pocket facing. Left side front placket opening with five hook and eye closures. One inch wide set on waistband. Second waistband, 1.75" wide, with 3/4" brick red braid through the center is tacked to waistband at 4-5" intervals. One hook/eye at ends of exterior band to fasten. Five hooks and eyes across skirt back and side waistbands to connect to or secure to bodice. Two rows of brick braid around skirt at 4" and 6" from hem edge. Skirt seams bound/hand finished. Hem machine stitched.
c. Bloomers
Below knee denim bloomers (32" long at side seams) with elastic casing at hem. Set on waistband. Two back darts and center back pleat; two front darts. Nine inch long plackets at left and right side seams. One hook and eye closure at waistline of each placket. Very full bloomer leg style.
HCT.2014.21.1a-c
1903 Wool Tweed 3-piece Suit
A three-piece men's tweed suit in a multicolored wool (blue, brown, tan and rose) closes down the front with 4 tortoise shell buttons (top button missing) in the conservative sack style coat of the early 1900's - a hip length coat with a straight back. This is a very traditional suit with all of the standard shapes of the time including a slanted welt breast pocket on the right side and two double welt hip pockets with flaps. It also features a two piece sleeve with two buttons over a closed vent at the cuff.
The inside of the sack coat has two double welt pockets, one on either side of the body, with the right at inside breast height and the left slated and at a natural waist height. The body of the coat is lined in a silk twill, while the sleeves are lined in a white and green striped silk. There are two rectangular pieces in the lining coming from the sleeve out two inches and about one inch wide. The collar is faced with a brown felt with both machine and hand pad-stitching.
Tag reads "Burns Columbus, Oh"
The waistcoat or vest is double breasted with two columns of four tortoise shell buttons that run down either side of the center front seam. The buttons begin wide at the top, approximately 6 inches apart, and taper inward to the bottom two buttons which are approximately 2.5 inches apart. The waistcoat has four single welt pockets, two at the breast and two at the waist and 1.5 inch vents at the bottom of the side seams. There is also a single welt pocket in the lining at the right breast.
The waistcoat is faced in a black silk and lined in a white polka dot jacquard with black pinstripes. There are two horizontal pleats in the front lining pieces (half an inch deep) for ease over the stomach. The back of the waistcoat is made in a taupe and gold plaid with a center back seam and a belt at the waist (tab and two prong fastener). There is a small inverted scallop at the center back hem of the vest.
The matching trousers have slightly tapered legs and a plain angled hem with heel guards hand stitched to the inside back of the hem. The waistband is on the cross-grain and has a V shaped notch at the center back. Just below the notch there is a tab and prong style belt for fit adjustment. The waistband also features 6 brace buttons (suspender buttons) in light brown Bakelite engraved with "+ Burns + Columbus, OH."
The fly is 11 inches long (including the waistband) and closes with four dark brown buttons (also Bakelite) and tab and button at the waistband.
There are five pockets; two inseam pockets, two double welt curved back pockets and one coin pocket in the seam between the waistband and the front pant leg on the right side. Side seams are sewn in a flat felled seam. The waistband facing is made of a bias cut white and brown stripe fabric with a "skirt" under that in a white and brown check. All interior edges have been hand over cast.
HCT.1988.355.1
1903
1903-1908, Warp Print Silk Taffeta Dress
Two piece blue and white floral warp print silk taffeta and silk tulle evening gown. Bodice- mono bosom of ivory silk tulle, bias cut wide panels draped over the shoulder and pleated to a point at the center waist. green silk velvet trim. Round neckline and short full sleeves has machine lace trim and ruffle. Wide two toned blue silk satin ribbon folded into a band at the waist. Bodice lined with silk taffeta and boned. Full length skirt of silk tulle and taffeta. Taffeta panels on the sides, scalloped and piped in green velvet. Panels held together with a vine of blue cotton flowers. The tulle is trimmed with lace and blue metallic lame bows. Ivory taffeta lining and cotton lining with pleated dust ruffle.
HCT.1988.418.81ab
1903-1908
1903/1937 Wedding Dress
Off-white wedding gown of satin, lace and organza or chiffon having a large lace bertha collar over short puff chiffon sleeves trimmed with a pleated ruffle, and a satin bodice and cummerbund with floral embroidery. It closes in back with hooks/eyes. The mostly satin skirt has a front panel of two layers of chiffon ending in a deep ruffle with horizontal tucks and pleated chiffon bands that extend around the skirt hem into the train. Two lace side panels, which match the collar, top the skirt. Wide falling collar made of lace, pieced to create symmetry. Cummerbund is loosely pleated and is embroidered in a floral motif with a satin stitch at the center front and center back with matching cording in floral patterns. There is also embroidery on the center front of the bodice just above the cummerbund as well as along the back closure and back neckline. The dress is closed at the center back with covered buttons and fabric loops on the satin, and with hooks and eyes along the collar and the skirt opening.
The bodice has a sheer organza yoke under the collar from the neckline to the top of the bust where the satin bodice begins. There is a small waistband in the back of the dress of satin, into which the skirt is pleated two inches either side of center back. The back of the skirt lengthens into a train that extends twenty-eight inches. The bottom thirteen inches of the skirt is decorated with the organza that is alternately pleated ruffles and pairs of horizontal tucks; stitching is done in a darker gold colored thread. The front satin skirt wraps around to the front and is sewn to a center panel of the satin organza. The thirteen inches of decorative ruffles and tucks is continued across the front and the tucks are extended up about seven inches into the center panel. In the center front of the satin organza panel is another embroidery motif. Over and on either side of the front panel are side panels of the handmade lace.
HCT.2006.32.1a-h
1903 & 1937
1904-1906, Grey silk beaded long gown
Early 1900's ladies long beaded evening gown. The outer shell of the gown is made of an off-white silk tulle that is elaborately hand-beaded in small grey sequins, black seed beads and grey metal leaves, which cascade from the top of the shoulders to the edge of the scalloped hem. Large clusters of floral and bud motifs of padded sequin and seed beads line the front and back neckline, side seams and down the length of the side front and side back of the skirt. The gown has a low rounded neckline in the front and black with an appliqued net border in grey-blue silk tulle. The mono-bosom silhouette style of the bodice is gathered into a fitted waist decorated with sequins clustered together in the look of a wide band. The gown has a full, fluted skirt and a long train in the back. The shell of the dress is underlined in off-white silk marquisette with a ten inch long fluted flounce hemmed in a grey silk velvet ribbon. The inner bodice is made of a powder blue silk shantung attached at the neckline and armscyes. It is made up of twelve panels, four in the back and eight in the front, has a V shaped waistline and is boned. It closes at the center back with thirteen hook and eye fasteners and has a draw cord where it is attached to the neckline that ties at both the center front and the center back to control the shaping. Sleeves contain a lining of the powder blue silk shantung in a fitted straight style, with volume added by an overlayer of a larger puffed sleeve made of the off-white silk marquisette, which is gathered and trimmed in the grey silk velvet ribbon with an added bow at the back and a one inch band of the grey-blue netting with applique beneath that. The outer layer is a long heavily beaded over sleeve attached only at shoulder top. The five gored, blue shantung underskirt is attached at the waistline with a bias cut band of the fabric and has a four inch ruffle at the hem. The gown closes at the center back in a seventeen inch long opening that fastens with hooks, eyes and thread loops sandwiched between the tulle/marquisette and a bias facing made of the blue shantung.
HCT.1988.398.2
<span>Additional fiber images and information available at <a href="http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/1900-1909,_grey_silk_beaded_long_gown,_wool_underlining" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the CAMEO Materials Database at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.</a></span>
1905 Pineapple Cloth Wedding Dress
Pina cloth (pineapple fiber) wedding dress.
Blouse (bodice) : waist length pigeon pout bodice, longer in front- shorter in back; high band lace collar; 3/4 full balloon sleeves with narrow forearm band, which is trimmed with 9 rows of small ruffles; V shape center front and center back panel in vertical pin-tucks, trimmed with wide V rows of lace; shoulders trimmed with ruching, from here the side front and back panels are folded into tucks ending at the waistband; center back hook/eye closure; lined in silk satin fabric; waistband has eyes to hook the skirt to bodice.
Outer skirt : floor length with slight train; full skirt : flat front and gathered fullness at back; front decorated with two vertical bands stitched on at waistband and at calf length, these bands are pleated tucks ending in a knot with a flounce and an attached small ruffle; bottom of skirt trimmed with 6 rows of small ruffles; center back closure at waistband
Inner skirt : off-white silk satin material; 8 gore underskirt with flat front panel and fullness at the back; floor length with a slight train; bottom of skirt trimmed with 2 small flounces; closure at center back, opening of closure has pineapple material attached to it.
Belt: around 2 wide; off-white material covered with pineapple fabric; it consists of horizontal pleated tucks; the belt has a V shape, thus narrowing toward the back; center back 3 hook/eye closure
Collar : around 2 wide; off-white material covered with pineapple fabric; it consists of small vertical pleated tucks; slight V shape; center back 2 hook/eye closure.
HCT.1998.27.1a-g
1905