Images(2)

Dress

Date1815-1819

MediumSilk crepe, silk satin, linen (identified by eye)

DimensionsOL shoulder to hem 53 in.;
Bust approx. 31 in.;
Waist approx. 29 1/8 in.
Waist and bust have drawstrings and are adjustable.

Credit LineGift of The Valentine Museum, Richmond, VA

Object number2023-165

DescriptionGold silk crepe dress with a raised waistline. The dress has a long undersleeve with a short, cap oversleeve. The dress is straight in the front and gathered at the back of the waist. A series of stitched triangular petals are sewn across the cap sleeves and cuffs, secured at the point with a fabric covered button. The cap sleeves and cuffs have silk satin piping and trim. The dress is trimmed at the hem with a band of silk satin swags and a straight band of silk satin topped with stuffed piping. The dress has a slight train. The bodice is adjustable with a channel and drawstring at the center front neckline and the center back waistline. The seams on the back of the bodice are piped. The bodice is lined with linen at the shoulder and armscye. There is linen tape sewn along the waist, which secures in the center back with a hook and eye. The dress fastens down the center back with a hook and eye and four buttons; one button is an original fabric covered, three are replacements.Label TextCrape, or crepe, is a textile often associated with mourning. Black crepe was often chosen for mourning garments and accessories due to its lusterless finish. However, colorful crepes were common in the early 19th century. A Boston advertisement for "coloured Canton Crapes" from April 1810 included a variety of shades- "sage, lilac, white, pink, slate, buff, yellow, different shades of blue, drab, &c." This gold crepe dress wouldn't have been out of the norm.Inscription(s)There is a fabric tag sewn into the center back of the neckline, "V.72.463.2"; this is the previous number assigned by the Valentine Museum.ProvenancePrior to 1972, Mrs. Harold Edwin Gillespie (Mary Miller Kress) (Richmond, VA); 1972 given to the Valentine Museum (Richmond, VA); 2023-present given to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, VA)