SOLD

Rare Beaded Cotton
c 1805

dress with short sleeves, the fall front darted and gently gathered to the front skirt, original linen tapes, the back with set back sleeves, seaming to high back waist and tightly gathered, slightly trained skirt, covered in white beads of varying sizes, probably Bohemian,

Comments

I have sold one dress before covered in similar bugle beads. The tapes were for tieing under the bust. My thanks to Caroline Crabtree for the information on the bugle beads, probably being imported from Bohemia. Caroline's book on A World Guide to Beadwork is a must for anyone interested in the subject. See my Bibliography.

Condition

Some of the beads are missing from the back bodice. There is a minute light brown mark on one of the bodice beads. The bead could be changed for another. There is a small hole to the front right hand shoulder, where the fall front was pinned to the bodice. A slight light brown mark to the skirt front. The hem area has beads missing and some small holes. There is another small light brown stain lower back skirt. Beads missing from skirt, but not too many. Ask for close up photos.