Looking for dating, cleaning and repairing help please

[cozmicstar]

Hi

I picked up this beautiful gown recently and would really appreciate your advice. Would I be right in thinking 1940s? The materials used are beautiful - silk velvet for sure, I suspect the top is silk and the inner is taffeta. I believe the silver embellishments are actual silver - would this be likely? But the construction is slightly more crude - hopefully you can see from the photos. The fastenings are a hook and eye and snaps on the left hand side, hence my thinking it's 40s. Measurements are 42 inches, 38 inches, 48 inches.

There is damage to the arms as you can see - what would be the best way to repair/reinforce this for wear? And finally, how on earth do I clean it?! Normally I hand wash most things, but reluctant to do this without further thought.

Thanks very much!

 

[cozmicstar]

And with the main photo turned around the right way...

 

[Jonathan]

The bodice looks to me to be made of silver embroidered sari silk, and, the skirt reads like rayon to me in the pics but its hard to tell from just looking at a picture on that... The finishing details all look good for the 40s, and with European finishing techniques - the facing to the hemline is typical European wartime hemming, but the lack of overstitching on the selvedges doesn't suggest French couture workmanship, so hand made but not couture. As the bodice is Indian material, I would guess English?

 

[cozmicstar]

That's brilliant thank you Jonathan! I perhaps should have stated that I'm in the UK and this was purchased in England, so you are spot on!