1867-1868 Brown Silk Taffeta Bodice and Skirt
Description
rown silk taffeta moire 3 piece dress-bodice, skirt & belt, machine sewn with lock and straight stitch machines.
Bodice with jewel neckline has dropped shoulder piped/corded armscyes, shoulder seams toward back and center front extending 3.5" below waist in a "V" shape. Two front waist darts either side of CF are reinforced with whalebone, boning also at side back seams and left center point. Back princess seaming from amscyes comes to within 3/4" of each other at waist and extend into "V" 6" below waist. Center back is on a fold. Bodice closes CF with 16 brass hooks and loops from neck to waist. Eleven opal buttons create decorative faux front closure (bottom button at waist line missing). Bodice is underlined with brown glazed cotton and waist is finished with a triple row of piping/cording. A dart runs from the center of back point to mid back in the underlining. Three rows of white satin bias trim decorate front and back bodice as well as sleeve fronts. Bodice back point weighted with several bbs.
Self-fabric belt stitched with lock-stitch and edged with white satin bias that also forms 'buckle' to hold pointed end of belt in place; fastens with black hooks and loops which may not be original.
Two-piece full coat-style sleeves are underlined with loosely woven natural color cotton and finished with self fabric facing and triple row of piping/cording.
Full 7 gore skirt with slight train, skirt shows evidence of being altered. Flat front with opening in left front seam has small teardrop-shaped pocket at left inner upper edge of opening; right front seam also has a regular size pocket of tan polished cotton faced in silk. Fullness pleated into waistband at side front gores and cartridge pleated onto waistband at side back and back gores. Machine-stitched 1 1/4" waistband is one layer of silk backed with a layer of cotton or linen plain weave, selvedges of both run along top of waistband. Bottom edge is hand stitched to skirt, fastener is brass hooks and loops. Skirt is underlined with a loosely woven stiffened cotton; 7" tan polished cotton hem facing finished with brown wool braid stitched to bottom edge of skirt.
Bodice with jewel neckline has dropped shoulder piped/corded armscyes, shoulder seams toward back and center front extending 3.5" below waist in a "V" shape. Two front waist darts either side of CF are reinforced with whalebone, boning also at side back seams and left center point. Back princess seaming from amscyes comes to within 3/4" of each other at waist and extend into "V" 6" below waist. Center back is on a fold. Bodice closes CF with 16 brass hooks and loops from neck to waist. Eleven opal buttons create decorative faux front closure (bottom button at waist line missing). Bodice is underlined with brown glazed cotton and waist is finished with a triple row of piping/cording. A dart runs from the center of back point to mid back in the underlining. Three rows of white satin bias trim decorate front and back bodice as well as sleeve fronts. Bodice back point weighted with several bbs.
Self-fabric belt stitched with lock-stitch and edged with white satin bias that also forms 'buckle' to hold pointed end of belt in place; fastens with black hooks and loops which may not be original.
Two-piece full coat-style sleeves are underlined with loosely woven natural color cotton and finished with self fabric facing and triple row of piping/cording.
Full 7 gore skirt with slight train, skirt shows evidence of being altered. Flat front with opening in left front seam has small teardrop-shaped pocket at left inner upper edge of opening; right front seam also has a regular size pocket of tan polished cotton faced in silk. Fullness pleated into waistband at side front gores and cartridge pleated onto waistband at side back and back gores. Machine-stitched 1 1/4" waistband is one layer of silk backed with a layer of cotton or linen plain weave, selvedges of both run along top of waistband. Bottom edge is hand stitched to skirt, fastener is brass hooks and loops. Skirt is underlined with a loosely woven stiffened cotton; 7" tan polished cotton hem facing finished with brown wool braid stitched to bottom edge of skirt.
Source
HCT.1988.339.2ab
Date
1867-1868
Relation
Additional fiber images and information available at at the CAMEO Materials Database at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
Provenance
This dress belonged to Henrietta Hammon Falkenbach. She lived from 1836 to either 1874 or 1876. She would have been around 31 years old when she wore this dress. Her husband, Joseph Falkenbach, was a banker in Columbus, Ohio. He was the Franklin County Treasurer from 1866-1867. Additionally, he was counsel to Germany under President Grover Cleveland from 1885-1889 and again 1893-1897.
Design Elements
sleeve=<a href=https://fashion2fiber.osu.edu/index.cfm?fuseaction=do.answerThis&QuestionID=355>2 Piece Tailored</a>, dress type=Hourglass, silhouette=Hourglass
Decade
1860-1869
Files
Collection
Citation
“1867-1868 Brown Silk Taffeta Bodice and Skirt,” Fashion2Fiber, accessed April 23, 2024, http://fashion2fiber.osu.edu/items/show/831.