Hi everyone! I recently acquired this antique bodice piece and was wondering whether anyone could offer me any advice about dating it? It was dated as late Victorian/Edwardian, but it looks to me more like mid-19th Century, possibly 1840s or 50s given the pleating at the front and pointed waist. The National Trust holds a similar looking one dating from 1850.
Looking at the armholes, it appears that the bodice was completed at one point and has sadly had the sleeves subsequently removed. It also looks like an attached skirt waistband may have also been unpicked, and there is a hook with no corresponding eye sewn to the lining on the right side which could have possibly been used to anchor a skirt? The stitching across the pleats on the left side has also come loose on the left side, revealing wool?? batting across the chest. I would guess that someone probably started taking the dress apart to reuse the fabric, or else it was taken apart by someone for study and the other pieces lost.
Having burnt small samples of both the blue fabric and lining, my best guess is that it's wool lined with some kind of treated linen. It looks like it is hand sewn, but I'm not certain. The bodice closes at the front with hooks and eyes and is boned under each armhole and up the front under the row of eyes.
I've done a bit of research (and a lot of guesswork) but I still could be way off, so I was wondering what people with more experience thought! Thank you so much for sharing your expertise - I really appreciate it.
Looking at the armholes, it appears that the bodice was completed at one point and has sadly had the sleeves subsequently removed. It also looks like an attached skirt waistband may have also been unpicked, and there is a hook with no corresponding eye sewn to the lining on the right side which could have possibly been used to anchor a skirt? The stitching across the pleats on the left side has also come loose on the left side, revealing wool?? batting across the chest. I would guess that someone probably started taking the dress apart to reuse the fabric, or else it was taken apart by someone for study and the other pieces lost.
Having burnt small samples of both the blue fabric and lining, my best guess is that it's wool lined with some kind of treated linen. It looks like it is hand sewn, but I'm not certain. The bodice closes at the front with hooks and eyes and is boned under each armhole and up the front under the row of eyes.
I've done a bit of research (and a lot of guesswork) but I still could be way off, so I was wondering what people with more experience thought! Thank you so much for sharing your expertise - I really appreciate it.
