Corset
Date1820-1830
MediumLinen (identified by eye)
DimensionsOL shoulder to hem 19 in.
Bust 26 7/8 in.
Waist 22 ½ in.
Bust 26 7/8 in.
Waist 22 ½ in.
Credit LineGift of The Valentine Museum, Richmond, VA
Object number2023-139
DescriptionWomen’s corset made of white linen. Has shoulder straps and gores cut at the bust. Laces in back with eight sets of eyelets. Neckline, armscye and hem bound in linen tape. Has a length of cord to lace in back. Pieced at the gores and center back.Label TextTo accompany the shifting silhouette of the early 1800s, women's undergarments took new forms. Corsets developed from the stiffly boned stays of the 18th century. To accomodate a narrower silhouette, raised waistline, and emphasized bust, corsets like this example featured gussets at the bust and minimal boning.According to family history, this corset belonged to Philadelphia resident Sarah Bolton (1801-1852). She likely wore this garment around the time she married her husband, shop owner Henry Cowgill Corbit (1800-1851) at the Friends' Meeting House in Mulberry Street in Philadelphia, PA.Provenance1820-1830 worn by Sarah Bolton [1801-1852] (Philadelphia, PA); 1852-1962 passed by descent to Edward Morris Davis [1904-1969] (Gladwyne, PA); 1962 given to the Valentine Museum (Richmond, VA); 2023-present given to The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, VA)
