Help with Nightgown - Victorian/Edwardian?

[Danielle Kurek]

Won this in an online auction and suspected Edwardian from their (not very good) pictures, but she arrived. I’m much more experienced with ID’ing jewelry but not much when it comes to clothing. I’m more inclined to think Victorian at this point, but that’s just from comparing with a lot of photos and not really based on technique of construction or other factors.

Based on the provenance included, which I’m aware may be 100% wrong, and doing some genealogy, I think the potential original owner was born c. 1850.

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

It is lovely. Looks Edwardian to me. Can you show the whole upper sleeves and underarms with the sleeve pulled away from the body of the gown?

 

[Danielle Kurek]

It is lovely. Looks Edwardian to me. Can you show the whole upper sleeves and underarms with the sleeve pulled away from the body of the gown?

like this?

 

[Jonathan]

I think its a dressing gown, not a nightgown - it's very structured and the lining, high neck and all those buttons down the front would make it uncomfortable for sleeping in. I think its the sort of thing a woman would put on during cooler weather if she was going to stay in bed, or putter around in the morning, writing letters, etc. It looks like its made from a fairly heavy weave - like sheeting - perhaps linen? The use of pleats suggest a Victorian date to me - 1870s-80s. Is it European? We have a similar one in the collection that I know was Irish, and there is something about this one, that like ours, is more European than American in its styling.

 

[Danielle Kurek]

I think its a dressing gown, not a nightgown - it's very structured and the lining, high neck and all those buttons down the front would make it uncomfortable for sleeping in. I think it’s the sort of thing a woman would put on during cooler weather if she was going to stay in bed, or putter around in the morning, writing letters, etc. It looks like it’s made from a fairly heavy weave - like sheeting - perhaps linen? The use of pleats suggest a Victorian date to me - 1870s-80s. Is it European? We have a similar one in the collection that I know was Irish, and there is something about this one, that like ours, is more European than American in its styling.

Yes I agree with probably a dressing gown and I’m thinking Victorian as well. It’s is a heavier fabric, and now that you’ve made me think about it more, I certainly wouldn’t sleep in it.

The other pieces I’ve found online that look most like it, have been in the The Met Museum and either 1860s/70s or “late 19th century”.

I’m much more experienced with identifying costumer jewelry so I’m familiar with characteristics to look for and have many Victorian pieces. I just don’t know much on the clothing construction side and have been trying to researching into stitches and other techniques but not gotten too far.

 

[Danielle Kurek]

I think its a dressing gown, not a nightgown - it's very structured and the lining, high neck and all those buttons down the front would make it uncomfortable for sleeping in. I think its the sort of thing a woman would put on during cooler weather if she was going to stay in bed, or putter around in the morning, writing letters, etc. It looks like its made from a fairly heavy weave - like sheeting - perhaps linen? The use of pleats suggest a Victorian date to me - 1870s-80s. Is it European? We have a similar one in the collection that I know was Irish, and there is something about this one, that like ours, is more European than American in its styling.

And as far as European/American. The provenance that came with it - which may be close or missing a piece, or really wrong - I did some online genealogy of the names, and I believe it was originally owned by a woman born c. 1850, in the States, as were both her parents born here too c. 1820s. Of course it could be bought overseas and brought over? I have some early victorian jewelry that is British and later Victorian era German pieces too.