Rare. These stays have an unusual shape to the lower front. The stays do not fasten on my slim mannequin. These must have been for a young woman.
of deep apricot and grey shot silk brocade woven with a very small stylised leaf and berry design, the centre laced with ivory silk ribbon through eyelet holes, large scoop neck, the shoulders with elbow length sleeves, trimmed with silk bows at the shulders, the edge with a ribbed ribbon, the under sleeves open, the sides with buckskin tabs ending in small balls, the back with eleven eyelet holes each side, for lacing, the inside lined with linen and with fleecy wool lining the sleeves, front top neck to lower edge 14 in or 37 cm; width atbust area 28 in or 71 cm.
When you consider that these are 250 years old they are in remarkable condition. The ribbons to the front and a little freyed here and there and particularly at the top. I would imagine the ribbon could be removed and re threaded so the damage is on the inside edge. There is a little wear to the brcade at the very back, one would imagine wear it was pulled in to fasten. The buckskin is grubby and there are a couple of holes to two tabs on the stays right hand side. There is one small hole to the top right hand shoulder brocade. The bucksin is grubbuy. The inside linen has a light yellow stain 3cm wide and a couple of other stains to inside back point. Generally okay. The sleeve linings are rather grubby. Do ask for photos of damage and inside the corset.
Have a look at this great website. http://www.scribd.com/doc/184892977/Female-Dress-European-Stays-or-Corsets.
There are of course many photos of corsets in museum collections but I have not found a pair with this type of lower front.
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