Elsa mantua inspiration-2

I’m still working through my files, so here is another of my favourite Mantua. A deep blue silk covered in silver embroidery. Right now I don’t have access to the printed materials so I’m mostly inspired by the over all effect, and as my lace has a very uneven but scalloped hem I’m using this…

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manteau-or not (inc patterns)

(Update June 2024: I have written and visual evidence that neccesitates reworking all these images and text. The update will be on my research site soon.) The mantua as often described is a garment with a very unique construction. It puts all the side skirt shaping on a single wedge of fabric, made of several…

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sunburst update

So I have been as obsessed by the sunburst gown longer than the electric light gown but hey are in fact really interlinked! After a little clarification that yes there were two Caroline Schermerhorn Astors. One Mrs one Miss and it is Miss Caroline Astor who wore the sunburst probably post marriage to Mr Orme…

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Extant Gowns I adore

  Mantua, V&A Museum, London Place of origin:  Spitalfields (textile, weaving) England (mantua, sewing) Date: ca. 1720 (weaving)  1720-1730 (sewing) Artist/Maker: Unknown Materials and Techniques: Silk, silk thread, silver-gilt thread; hand-woven brocading, hand-sewn. Museum number: T.88 to C-1978 Gallery location: In Storage Interactive full views I am not sure if the petticoat and front are original, if they are it’s…

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Extant Gowns I adore-3

I’m cheating, these are all doublets. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Costume bodice, Spanish, possibly early 20th century, in the style of about 1600 If this is a copy it’s a remarkable wonderfully accurate copy! I know there was a lot of interest in historic costume and collecting extant items in the late 19thC especially but…

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Extant gowns I adore-2

  1 Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, 2 Vendulka Otavská-Restaurování a konzervování historických textilií 3, 4, 5 Regionálního muzea v Mikulově 6, 7, 8 Shakespeare’s England- Clothing from beyond the grave Garment of: Margaretha Franciska Lobkowicz Obsessed since: 2012 Recommended resources:  Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Regionálního muzea v Mikulově, Shakespeare’s England- Clothing from beyond the grave The Museum of…

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Extant gowns I adore-1

  1,2 Der Mitteldeutsche Rundfunk 3 Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden    4 Werkstätten Ackermann & Pfannenberg, 5 Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden,* 6 Alamy, 7 Werkstätten Ackermann & Pfannenberg, 8 Alamy Garment of: Magdalena Sibylla of Prussia Obsessed since: August 2016 Recommended resources:  Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden Also has a pdf of the brochure for the exhibition Werkstätten Ackermann & Pfannenbergmakers of the figurines for display Machwerk– blog…

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