Description:
Woman's one piece, back opening dress made of brown silk taffeta with self decoration on the bodice front and large leg of mutton sleeves. According to the donor: "The brown taffeta dress is the wedding dress of Laura Spring, who was the second wife of Benjamin Winter of Shutesbury, Mass. She was the stepmother of Lois Louisa Winter Weeks [b.1826]. We think that it dates back to the 1830s." However, records show that the second wife of Benjamin Winter (b.c.1795-1877) of Shutesbury was Nancy C. Winter (b.c.1805) who married sometime between Dec. 1834 with the birth of Edward's 8th child by his 1st wife, Jarusha Shaw Winter (c.1801-1835) and Jun. 2, 1837, with the birth of Nancy and Benjamin's first child. The bodice has a wide, self-piped neckline. The bodice front is self-decorated with bias cut folds in a fan-like shape tapering towards the waist; its length, 9 5/8" center front, provides for a slightly high waistline. The bodice is lined in a tan cotton or linen, with one dart 5 1/2" on each side of lining front, and closes center back with 9 brass hook (proper left) and eye closures. There is one side seam on each side of bodice (directly under each arm) and no back side seams. Instead, there is one curved bias fold of self fabric down each side of the back, imitating back side seams and tapering at the waist to continue the fan-like effect in the back. Each shoulder seam is 4" long, extending from neckline to self-piped armscyes. Sleeves are pleated into the low armscyes all around, except at underarm. The leg o' mutton sleeves are very full, and each have an underarm seam plus another piece of fabric and matching seam to accommodate fullness. Forearms are more fitted, and pleated into a 3/4" long cuff. The sleeves are only lined at the upper arm, consisting of a printed cotton and acting as a buffer between the sleeve supports and silk taffeta. Sleeve supports are wooden wire-like rings with metal clasps to secure them. Skirt is attached to and pleated into bodice all around, covered by a 2 3/4" wide self-fabric stiffened belt. Center back skirt placket 8 7/8" long. The unlined skirt, made up of six ungored panels, has a facing of brown wool at hem, with wool batting for stiffening. Skirt circumference at hem is 101."
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+1999.4.1 |
