SPECTACULAR THREE PIECE BLACK SILK SATIN ENSEMBLE

SPECTACULAR THREE PIECE BLACK SILK SATIN ENSEMBLE

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$2,000.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 1307-17

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This spectacular three-piece black silk satin ensemble from the Texas Civil War Museum consists of an afternoon bodice, an evening bodice, and a skirt with train. Occasionally described in period publications as a “Weekender”, the ensemble was originally purchased by Mary Ellen Dunbar from The Lace House, in San Francisco, CA in 1875.

All three pieces are made from lustrous black silk satin. The afternoon bodice and skirt have vertical panels embroidered with silk thread in a floral design with wheat ears and leaves in white, purple, and shades of gold. The evening bodice is trimmed with black silk net and deep pink thread flowers and leaves.

The afternoon bodice is cut with a high standing collar framing a deep V-neckline, a center front opening, points at the waistline in the front and back, and long sleeves. The inside of the collar and the neckline is faced with gold silk satin; the outside of the collar and the edges of the neck opening are covered with lightly gathered black silk Chantilly lace edging. Two 3" wide strips of embroidered black silk satin frame either side of the center front opening, extending over the shoulders and ending in a V-shape on the upper back. The points at the front waist of the bodice are covered with the ends of the embroidered satin panels, also shaped into points. The long narrow sleeves are cut from black silk Chantilly lace, ending in a lightly gathered flounce at the wrist. The outside of each sleeve has a 3" wide strip of embroidered black silk satin.

The bodice closes with hand-sewn button holes and nineteen ½" diameter crocheted black silk ball buttons embroidered with gold, purple, and gray silk thread in a starburst design. The bodice is cut with two vertical darts on each side of the front opening and has a 6-piece back. The seam allowances of the darts and each of the vertical seams are cut with scalloped edges to allow them to lie smoothly over the curves of the body, and are bound with brown glazed cotton. The original baleen stays are present on each dart and seam and are covered with strips of the same brown glazed cotton. The back of the bodice extends below the waistline. The bottom sides and ends of the two center back sections are outlined with two offset layers of piping in pale gold and dark red. The center of each section is gathered into standing pleats, creating four pointed ends.

The front of the dramatic trained skirt is styled with five vertical panels of the embroidered satin, alternating with four panels of the black silk satin. Each embroidered panel ends in a point above the ruffle at the bottom of the skirt. Each black panel is constructed of six rows of deep directional pleats attached to a base of the black satin. The bottom of the front of the skirt has a pleated ruffle extending from side seam to side seam. Two draped puffs are attached to the waistline on either side of the center front, supporting the bottom of the extended bodice and emphasizing the tiny waistline. The skirt waistband is partially deconstructed and appears to have been altered for additional width; it could be restored to its original size and construction.

The back of the skirt is plain with a center back opening. The fullness is controlled at the waistline with offset box pleats. The left side of the back of the skirt has an overlay beginning at the waistline, overlapping the side of the skirt front, and curving down into the train. The right side of the back of the skirt has a similar overlay beginning just above the bottom ruffle at the side seam of the skirt, also curving into and around the bottom of the train. The edges of both overlays have a deep facing of gold silk satin finished with a narrow flat piping in dark red.  The overlay on the right side also has a barely visible pleated ruffle faced in dark red silk that begins at the same point as this overlay and extends part way to the center back of the train.

The skirt is lined with black silk taffeta and has a deep hem facing of coarsely-woven and heavily starched black cotton. A pleated dust ruffle of starched black tarlatan finished with a cotton lace edging is attached to the bottom of the back of the skirt and the train. Brown cotton casings for tape ties to adjust the shape of the skirt and create a bustled effect are present; the original ties are missing.

The black silk satin evening bodice has a wide V- neckline, short sleeves, and a deeply pointed waistline at the front and back. The neckline is finished with a tiny bias piping and is trimmed with a ruched band of black silk net accented with vertical rows of deep pink silk-thread flowers and leaves. The trimming dips to a V in the center front and back, tapering to almost nothing at the shoulders. A fine black silk net tucker with its original narrow black silk ribbon finishes the inside of the neckline. The center front opening on the evening bodice closes with hand-sewn button holes and fifteen of the same ½" diameter crocheted and embroidered black silk ball buttons as used on the day bodice. The bottom edge of this bodice is finished with tiny self-fabric double piping. The short, shaped sleeves taper to almost nothing at the shoulder, giving the appearance of a sleeveless bodice. The lower edges of the sleeves are finished with a narrow ruffle of black silk net.

Both bodices have an interior ribbon waist stay that is woven with the label “D.  Samuels, The Lace House, 123 to 128 Post Street, San Francisco.” The building at this address was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. After the earthquake, D. Samuels’ Lace House eventually moved to a new location at the corner of Stockton and O’Farrell Streets in San Francisco.

Measurements: Both bodices: Bust = 35", waist = 23"; Skirt lengths: Front = 42", Back = 72" including train.

Condition: Very Good.  The silk satin is in excellent condition, without snags or pulls. There is no damage to the colored embroidery. All of the buttons are present, and the lace is intact. There are two small brown spots and some wear on lower left front of the skirt. The dust ruffle is present and intact. The waist has been let out and replaced with black petersham ribbon, but that could be restored to the original size and construction method. The center back seam needs re-stitched below opening.  The silk taffeta skirt lining is beginning to shatter.   [cs] [ph:L]

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