Such a lovely dress with evening bodice and extra neck embellishment, which is quite unusual. Originally the bodice would not have been attached to the skirt. The idea was that you could substitute a day bodice or an evening bodice with the skirt. Beautiful light print. The skirt flounces were a particular fashion at this time and specially produced.
From the collection of the late Mrs June Jeffreys (1928 – 2016) who married George William Eyre Jeffreys (1931 - 2019) in 1960. The house Newhouse, Redlynch, near Salisbury, Wiltshire, has been in the family for 400 years and many of the dress collection was inherited through Mr Jeffrey’s family. Mrs Jeffreys also bought at auctions, and as no information was left with the collection it has been impossible, amongst the 19th century dresses, to attribute particular dresses to a wearer. I have however made suggestions as to who might have worn a particular dress, but there is no proof. The exception to this is the 18th century Chinese export embroidered yardage, which were almost certainly bought, by a member of the family, who worked for the British East India Company.
I would be pleased to send out the full family history.
The challis cotton fabric with a white check, all overprinted with a mid blue flower, leaf and twig design, the dress bodice with round high neck, over pleating from the shoulders to the straight waist, the long sleeves gatherd in at the wrists and with hand made lace on the upper arm, rouleau trim to the neck and shoulder/sleeve seam the skirt with three deep flounces, the bodice lined with white cotton with hooks and eyes to the front.
The evening bodice with round scoop neck, the front shaped down to the curved pointed waist, boning centre front flanked by double boning, side boning, back fastening with hooks and eyes, the short puff sleeves with silk ribbon trimmings, with a seaweed design in blue on silver with a bow with long tails, a similar small ribbon bow at back waist, lined in white cotton.
The neck embellishment with soft pleats from shoulder to middle bodice front, sewn with three similar silk ribbons to the front.
There are a few light orange marks to the first flounce, also a couple of the back of the dress.
The ribbons on the evening bodice embellishment may have been sewn on later, as the stitching is quite crudely done. You can only see this from inside. They could easily be unpicked. There is a light orange mark to the front of the evening bodice, so possibly the ribbons were sewn on to hide this. It is very minor.
Costume in Detail Nancy Bradfield p 209.
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