Description:
Woman's one-piece round gown made from a blue Chinese silk damask. The gown descended in the Manning family of Ipswich, Massachusetts. It was first worn by Miriam Lord (1748-1826), who married Richard Manning (1755-1813) in May 1776. Miriam and Richard's third daughter, Elizabeth, was the mother of Nathaniel Hawthorne's (1804-1864). Some 30 years after her wedding, the gown was altered, and as such, the garment reflects common practice of alterating garments in the 18th and 19th centuries. It also reflects the idea that until the 20th century, a woman's wedding gown was usually her best gown, not necessarily white in color. The gown is made from a rich blue damask-weave silk made in China for export to the West. The bodice lining is likely an Indian-woven, plain-weave cotton. The dress descended in the family of the first recorded wearer.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2022.6 |
