1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Dry rot in vintage and antique clothing

Discussion in 'PUBLIC Vintage Chatter - Anything and everything' started by Circa Vintage Clothing, Mar 7, 2012.

  1. Linn

    Linn Super Moderator Staff Member VFG Past President

    Very interesting blog, Nicole. Thank you for posting it!

    Linn
     
  2. Oh what a pity on that dress. It must have been spectacular in its day.
     
  3. Indeed - Amber, I'm so thankful she sent it to me. It's more like silk and glass bead soup than a dress but at least I can make use of it: pieces like these are generally thrown away!

    It was intense though: quite heartbreaking, especially when I saw the "Made in France" label.
     
  4. vivavintageclothing

    vivavintageclothing VFG Member

    Great blog post Nicole! It is always heartbreaking to see lovely dresses like this one must have been in that state of disintegration. Good for you for rescuing the beads!

    And, thanks for sharing the photo of our dress! :)
     
  5. The Vintage Merchant

    The Vintage Merchant Administrator Staff Member

    Nicole, by any chance does your friend, Marg, have a photo of it being worn??? would LOVE to see that...
     
  6. poppysvintageclothing

    poppysvintageclothing VFG Board Member Staff Member VFG Past President

    Oh yes, dry rot...I remember when I had my first B&M shop and a darling elderly lady came by and sold me a very pretty pink 20s dress
    with coloured beaded flowers. I was thrilled. After she left I went to pick it up from the chair at the shoulders....my fingers went right through
    the shoulder line on both sides...I was horrified.

    I actually saved it though as that was it's only real weak point. I used grosgrain ribbon to reinforce the shoulder line and I found beads that matched the colours.
    It took time and patience but I felt so good about having saved this very pretty piece!

    Great blog, Nicole, thank you for sharing!
     
  7. cmpollack

    cmpollack VFG Member

    Heartbreaking, indeed!

    Great blog post, and Amy--your dress is lovely!

    Like Mary Jane I have a 20s dress (not beaded, but with a wonderful coral velvet bow in back!) with shoulders that were apparently dry rotted and now have shredded "hanger stress" areas. It was a museum deaccession (so any exposure to humidity wasn't my fault) but I did make the mistake of not storing it flat while I sought a long-term storage solution (it's now in a proper archival box). Wish I had seen your roll-it-up in a pillowcase advice 2 years ago, Nicole!
     
  8. Goth Hobbit

    Goth Hobbit Registered Guest

    Nicole, thank you for that post. Talk about timely!

    My mom just sent me a big box o' antique yumminess in the form of heirloom items dating back to about 1906. Most of them are relatively simple (or at least as simple as Edwardian hostess aprons and lingerie dresses get), but the gems of the box are my great-aunt's wedding dress, slip, and trousseau nightgown. The dress is a mid-20s yellow crepe day dress with jacquard ribbons; since Aunt Lorraine was married in the late 30s, we figure that the dress was a donation from one of great-Granddad's congregation. Methodist ministers didn't get huge salaries back then, so they couldn't have afforded a new wedding gown for her.

    Now, how this dress managed to survive being stored -- folded completely flat, no less -- in a dry-cleaning bag for who knows how many years, first in Kentucky, then in Florida, is anybody's guess! I am happy do say that it did, with no more damage than the tiniest bit of shatter to the ribbons. I have a local source for the silk jacquard ribbons, if I want to replace them, and the dress now has its very own archival box, complete with acid-free tissue and muslin.
     
  9. Rue_de_la_Paix

    Rue_de_la_Paix VFG Member

    Thank you Nicole for this...great read.
     
  10. Bestdressedllc

    Bestdressedllc Registered Guest

Share This Page