Vintage dress form

A friend of my family has a house for sale, a gorgeous old farm house that has been pretty much gutted right down to the beams. It was fascinating walking through it, especially when we got to the attic and found this old dress form. We asked him what he had planned for the dress form and he said I could just take it. I about went through the roof. lol It'a obviously not in mint condition but I love it. I haven't been able to find a similar one on google. The closest I could find was the attached graphic. I wonder if it had a bustle attachment at one time, though I see no sign it had one.

 

That torso shape ( dropped shoulder, small round waist with no need for hips as the hoop/crinoline/ loads of petticoat will fill that out) and the full round skirt look early to me, pre-bustle. So maybe 1850s - 60s? Although a bustle attachment for the 1870s would also make sense.

 

I keep coming back here just to look at the form. What a great story and find. Nice chair too!

 

That is a wonderful find. Lucky you! My feeling is that this is late Victorian era, 1880s maybe. But I am not certain.

 

Nice - its hard to find those early ones!

 

What am amazing find! Thanks for sharing ~ very interesting!

 

Thank you! I was finally able to make out some of the writing on it. It does say "Acme" on the base, with some other writing I can't make out aside for a W. The top says "Patd NOV 29 87 AUG 8 88, so it's probably from somewhere between 1887 and 1888. Fascinating. Here it is wearing that 1930s overdress, one of the first dresses I ever posted here.

 

Gosh she is stunning! What a find.

 

I love these! i have two in my collection and I find they are quite scarce now.

 

Does she still expand? Mine one was a little stiff and I had a friend work on it so she would open and close.

 

Thank you! I'm trying to think of a nice name for her. lol

No, I don't think she expands. The knob at the top does turn but nothing happens when you turn it. I might try carefully oiling some of the hinges and see if that does it.

 

Yes by turning the knob, she should open a little. The wires inside may be rusted. Do you see anything when you look inside?
I like these just as art objects, and not necessarily dressed.

 

I aimed my phone camera up inside and it appears as though there are 4 handles inside it, in addition to the same expanding sort of arrangement in the skirt part.

 

I hope you can get to her work. You have a very nicely made one. And yes, some modes do have expandable skirts