Description:
Woman's one piece, front opening dress of dark grey silk decorated with bands of black velvet trimmed with lace on bodice front, around cuffs, and center front gored slant panel. According to the donor: "The grey silk was the wedding dress of Lois Louisa Winter Weeks [b.1826] (the great-grandmother of the donor). She was born in Shutesbury and came down to work in the mills of Ware where she met and married William Weeks, a widower - probably in the late 1840s." The donor also noted that their daughter, her grandmother, was born in 1857, and had a older brother born 7 years old earlier. The dress has been altered significantly, probably from a late 1840s style to the 1863-1870 style. The bodice has a jewel or rounded self-piped neckline and eight round, dome-like buttons securing the front, each 5/8" in diameter and covered in a tan colored silk net. The black velvet on black lace strips form a 'V' on bodice front, extending over the shoulders to the back. There are two darts on each side of bodice front, 5 1/2-6" from waistline, each boned. There are dropped shoulder seams, and one curved back seam on each side of back, topstitched. One side back seam on each side of bodice as well, with this pair showing evidence of being let out. Bodice lined in a rust colored brown cotton. There are naturally placed armscyes, self-piped. The coat sleeves have matching bands of velvet and black lace 1 3/4" from end of sleeve to simulate a cuff. The skirt is attached to bodice except for the front, which is attached to a waistband. Skirt is smooth in front and pleated into the bodice everywhere else (cartridge pleated at center back). There is a proper left front placket. Skirt made up of 7 panels of fabric, with only the center front not a noticeable gored piece, and is lined in a rust colored glazed cotton, except for two proper right front gores, which are unglazed. There is a proper right front pocket on a seam. Facing 5 3/4" wide at hem of brown till cotton, with a light brown tape at bottom edge. The excess skirt length taken up and folded over at waist attachment.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+1999.4.2 |
