Delicious bodice which is unusually made from Chinese embroidered silk satin made for the European market in the 1840's. Perhaps the wearer received a length of silk from a relative in China which she had made into a dress. I expect the skirt was later used for another garment.
I have often wondered why the Chinese only used twisted silk thread on export embroideries whilst using floss silks for their own use. An embroidery friend tells me that twisted silks are cheaper to produce, more durable, easier to use and need less experience to embroider than floss silks. This would also mean that the Chinese could produce embroideries for the Western market more quickly and therefore cheaper. Most embroidery came either through the ports of Canton or Macau, for the Portuguese market, but would have been worked all over China. The style of the embroidery might be from Suzhou. That region produced finer workmanship, top quality and more expensive pieces,
the ivory satin ground finely embroidered with twisted silks with bunches of flowers tied with ribbons or sprays of flowers and leaves, all in clear shades of coral, peach, yellow, soft orange and blue and two shades of green, the bodice with rouleau trimming to the wide neck, front and small pointed waist, the armholes and the sleeves, the short sleeves with dense pleating, two rows of boning to the front, and one to the sides, lined with cotton, the back with pleated and rouleau trim curves, metal hooks and embroidered eyes, back neck to hem 10 in; 26 cm, the selvedge with red and gold lines.
In very good condition.
Vainker, Shelagh Chinese Silk A Cultural History p 195- 198.
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