Help Preserving Victorian Dress...

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cooljjay

Registered Guest
Well believe it or not, I had one of those antique road show moments. You know those ones you hear about the guy found this in a pile of trash, or the titanic menu on the back of a dollar painting. I am into vintage electronics, I went to an estate sale because I seen an old WWII receiver, I seen a few things I wanted including a victor horn, I asked the price, we agreed on a figure and I started digging. I assumed the only thing left of the victor was the horn. I looked in a huge old cabinet and seen it was empty. I dug and dug on the way out I was let me look again in the cabinet, I reached in and grabbed what I thought was a bunch of rags, out came hats, purse, cape and there was the victor. I ended up with a complete Victorian dress and a victor talking machine. The dress is like new condition. I want to preserve this and display it on a dress form. I need help on how to remove the wrinkles on the dress and how to reform the straw hats. Any info on the dates is great, style or preservation is also most welcome here is photos.

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This is what it was protecting

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That's a wonderful story and thank you for sharing. Someone with solid knowledge will be along soon I hope. I particularly like the purse with the tassels, but it's the wonderful lines of the victor horn (?) that really have me smiling.
 
It looks to me like you have a mix of period items there.

The top straw hat with the high crown mat be 1870s, but I would need more and better views to tell. The other two hats look to be 1910 - 1920s.

The purse and gloves are 1910 - 1920 as is the cotton chemise (lingerei piece).

The plush cape looks late Victorian - 1890s - 1900s.

The dress - I am guessing later Teens, but would need to see it without the cape over it.

Nice find!

Hollis
 
Okay, the high crown one is Teens, too.

I would stuff the hat crowns with tissue paper then steam them and let them cool. If you don't have a steamer, then you can use an iron to make the steam, just don't touch the iron to the hat.

Again, steaming the dress is the way to go as well. Some laundromats have steamers and small travel steamers are available out there ,too

Hollis
 
Great, when I get out to a store I will get a small steamer. I don't trust myself with an iron. Here are some more photos. I found a form for cheap today and got it all dress up.

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