Antique Corset Bodice - Pointed Busk Closure - Help Dating?

Jonathan's right - definitely a folk costume. I've just taken some quick shots, my camera's battery is almost dying. This is the original bodice of the traditional sunday costume of the Canton of Berne here in Switzerland (Berner Sonntagstracht). My grandmother had it made when she was young, she was born in 1918 and got married in '43 I think. My mother wore it too, though not often. I can't wear it because I don't have my mothers figure... but I've held on to it because it's an amazing piece of work, and I have used it as a template to reproduce the whole thing in Barbie doll size. The shape is almost the same as yours, but the fabrics are different, and in the back the little lace-edged flounce with the black beading on it is missing, so this could easily be from a different region. I am unfortunately not overly familiar with traditional costumes from other regions of Switzerland.











My mom wearing it in the '60s. The piece around the neck is a separate thing made of plain black velvet. The jewelery was either silver or silver-plated and the rosettes were sewn on, through which a silver chain was threaded. One more rosette was sewn to the center back, below the neck and through there went the chains that you can see hanging from the collar piece. There are a lot of separate pieces to this, it's quite intricate, not even the blouse would be all in one piece traditionally. They are rarely worn these days, but you do see them on special occasions, and they cost a fortune if you want to buy yourself one these days. The aprons are traditionally silk (my mom's was polyester though as she couldn't afford silk - she liked the red one which is for married women better than the light blue one she got from my grandma ).

Here you can see some more tradtitional women's costumes from Switzerland: http://www.trachtenstube.ch/Frauentrachten

Karin

 

I had a bit of a further nose around... So the Bernese sunday costume has been known in this shape since the 1870s, but I guess It would be based on earlier designs - this wouldn't have arrived out of the blue. Because of the flower pattern, I asked myself if it were from the wedding costume from the same region - the "Tschöplitracht" which I haven't heard of before either: http://www.infowerkstatt.ch/bk/trachten/de_detail/ft07.php - it's hard to see in the image, but the text says that the bodice (as well as the skirt) are made of silk damask, not velvet. But anyway, your bodice could be an earlier form of all this, who knows... or from another region. It's just that the shape is so exactly like the Bernese costume.
Where are you located and how did you come by this? Maybe this could be another clue... are you in the US? There were times when a lot of Swiss people emigrated to the US and a lot of them moved to the same regions, so there might be another pointer tere...

Karin

 

I've found a website of the official folk costume association and have sent them a question - let's see if they reply . I'm intrigued to find out more about this too!

Karin

 

I don't know much about mannis, but I thought she looked great.

Gayle - how interesting - that looks definitely like its from a Berner Sonntagstracht.

The Barbie doll outfit was a labour of love. It "works" - nothing is sewn on, the bodice, skirt and apron are constructed like the real ones (which I was allowed to cut up for this). I'm in the process of making the whole thing again for a 16" doll. I have exactly enough of that lovely flower-velvet left to make her bodice.

Karin

 

What an interesting question that was posed here, it's so interesting to see these examples...and your Mom is just darling in hers, Karin!

 

I think Wisconsin has some places the were named/founded by Swiss immigrants - who knows. It might have arrived in the US that way around.

Melanie - that sounds intriguing. Let me know if you want to see what the neck piece looks like exactly for comparison.

Karin

 

I haven't heard that yet ! My relatives landed in California - lots and lots of them too in the Central Valley.

Karin

 

Just an update on this - I mention I contacted this association, I have had a very nice reply from them saying that they have passed my question on to their specialist. Maybe we'll find out even more about this lovely piece - I'll keep you posted!

Karin