Help dating blouse - 1890s?? Turn of the century??

[Birdie]

Hi there,

I have a here a blouse with tall, gathered sleeves and tapered wrists, high neck-line with "eye" (not sure what it's for), sheer fabric overlay throughout the bodice (plain weave, feels like silk, ,so thin i could poke a hole in it just by touching), metal boning inside with a ribbon that hooks around the waist and hook & eye back closures. There are some machine stitches, but a lot looks to have been sewn by hand as well.

Any help dating this blouse would be greatly appreciated, as my own research didn't get me very far!

Thanks in advance

 

[pastperfect2]

Iit looks to be late 1890s, 1897-99 or so. The eyes on the collar band are for a separate high, usually boned, collar that is missing.

 

[Birdie]

Cool, thanks so much!! That's right around my initial guess but it helps knowing about the missing collar