The fashion for the crinoline frame lasted for nearly twenty years spreading to all levels of society. In Shelley Tobin's Inside Out. A Breif History of Underwear p 14 she states that in 1860 Courtaulds, the textile manufacturing firm, announced that The present ugly fashion of Hoops or Crinolines as it is called, is however, quite unfitted for the work of our Factories....We now request our hands at all Factories to leave Hoop and Crinoline at Home The steel hoops are threaded on very borad strong binding, each steel being secured by a metal eyelet-hole. W S Thomson, an American patented the crinoline frame in USA, Britain & France in 1856. It was adopted by all classes, the quality of course varying. At its height of popularity half a million hoops were produced from Sheffield, England steel mills. Before this date women would have worn up to six starched petticoats to achieve the big skirt effect.
Prize Medal Skirt. By Her Majesty's Royal Patent Registered Trade Mark 20 the royal coat of arms and a crown printed on the herrringbone woven tape waistband, vertical herringbone woven tapes 1 in; 2.5 cm wide, fastened to the hoops with brass eyelets, the front two crossing, nineteen cotton covered steel adjustable hoops, height 32 in; 82 cm; dia approxc 2 ft;60 cm
One hoop broken. Two brass eyelets missing. Some of the hoops have a little rust, particularly the lower ones. Ask for photos if you cannot see on main photos.
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