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#7168 $2,850 Regency child's hand-embroidered dress, c.1810. The Persian-style Tree of Life design on the skirt front is borrowed from Indian palampores exported to Europe in the 18th century. The refinement and delicacy of the peerless embroidery in wool floss is the work of a master embroider. She made two whimsical aesthetic decisions: not to fill in all the embroidery on the skirt front; and to change the embroidery color on the sleeves—front vs. back. These unusual aesthetic choices proceeded not from lack of skill but rather from the whimsical artistry of the embroiderer. A masterful historical artifact of early costume art! NEW LISTING | |
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#7164 $1,600 Reserved Metallic brocaded silk boudoir slippers, 1830s. The metallic brocaded silk is an exceptional period textile that combines a stylized floral pattern of gold with silver flowers on the toes. The background cloth is a vivid apple green silk damask. The vamp is edged with hand sewn, pleated silk ribbon. The handwork on the slippers makes it clear they were meant to be admired by more than just the wearer. They are straights with narrow spring heels. The flat leather soles are actually slightly curved so that only the ball of the foot and the center of the heel touch the floor, making them more comfortable to wear. NEW LISTING | |
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#1661 $750 Child's cotton dimity dress, c.1820-1840. The A-line shape of the dress, used in children's dresses from the late 18th century up to the Empire style of the early 19th century, came back again in the Romantic period when skirts were shorter. The completely hand-sewn dress has two front pockets and an adjustable drawstring neckline. The sleeves are attached with corded self piping. The charming print features sprightly floral sprigs. The neckline, sleeves, and skirt hem are decorated with a zigzag application of fancy woven tape. The woven pattern of floating geometric "leaves" in the tape is quite endearing. NEW LISTING | |
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#1770 $6,900 Spitalfields sack-back gown and matching petticoat, c.1760. A rare ensemble from the Colonial period in very good condition. The graceful sack-back style and the breathtaking beauty of the flowers incorporated into the ground cloth make this an exemplar of 18th century dressmaking. The gown is fashioned in the sack-back style with cords on the sides to pull up the skirt à la Polonaise. The bodice meets at the center front with no room for a stomacher. The botanicals are carefully mirror-imaged on the bodice robing and back pleats, a typical feature of fine 18th century fashion. NEW LISTING | |
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#1766 $2,950 French gentleman's three-piece silk suit, 1760s-1780s. Throughout the 18th century, the essential features of a gentleman's costume—topcoat, waistcoat, and breeches—did not change, but the shape slowly evolved. Increasingly after 1760, topcoats like this one were cut away at the front. 18th century silks, not treated with the corrosive stiffeners used in Victorian fabrics, are often more durable and well preserved than 19th century examples. The silk in our splendid suit is an exemplar of 18th century fabric. The rich golden hue had retained the original effulgence. NEW LISTING | |
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#1687 $6,900 Lavender silk gentleman's 3-piece suit, c.1775. After 1760, topcoats like this one were seldom buttoned and were fitted with a stand-up collar. The transitional style retains the large self-covered buttons and wide cuffs of earlier suits. The sleeves on both the topcoat and waistcoat are cut with a curve to accommodate the elbow. Over time the pale lavender hue has faded a bit but is still extraordinary. The lavender is rich enough to call attention to the wearer but not so bright as to offend conventional taste by its foppishness. NEW LISTING | |
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#7162 $450 Flemish handmade bobbin lace cap, 18th century. The cap features a crown of mesh-grounded flat point bobbin lace with a wide border of Baroque-style floral bobbin tape lace. The lace is made from very fine beige linen thread. The ethereal floral lace design makes a striking aesthetic contrast to the "stained glass" effect seen in Baroque-style floral bobbin tape lace border. The stylized charm of the floral design together with the gossamer delicacy of the lace pattern personify the feminine ideal in clothing. NEW LISTING | |
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#6714 $750 Bead knitted bag, c.1833. Bead knitting incorporates beads into the design during knitting by stringing them on the knitting yarn. The technique was very popular in the early 19th century. The historically important bag from the Romantic period came from the private collection of an important scholar in the field. Because of the German inscription on the bag, it could well be Pennsylvania Dutch in origin. The bag is knitted from fine red cotton/wool yarn and white glass seed beads. The date "1833" is part of the design. | |
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#1822 $1,800 Brocaded silk lady's waistcoat, c.1770. The cone-shaped waistcoat fronts are fashioned from brocaded peach corded silk. From a distance, the texture of the corded weave resembles very fine line-quilting. The plain back and straps of silk shantung match the color of the fronts. The ripe peach hue is gorgeous! The silk ground is covered with brocaded flowers in shades of rose, green, blue, and ivory. What a delicate, feminine floral design! | |
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#7039 $875 Silk gauze rectangular shawl, 1810-1820. The fresh lemon hue in the resplendent shawl is like the afterglow of the sun, still illumining the horizon with its beauty two centuries later. The summer weight shawl is sheer and delicate. The two black panels are bordered with pink ribbon weave; the pink panel is bordered with turquoise ribbon weave. The floral motif is remarkably free in line, effortlessly limning the gay and sprightly feeling of a spring day. The design brings to mind Japanese brush painting: strikingly beautiful, simple and pure, yet strong and resonant. | |
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#2534 $1,200 American gentleman's silk jacket, 1830s-1840s. Made from beige raw silk, the wonderfully preserved, single-breasted jacket closes in front with self-covered fabric buttons. The cut is straight in front and flared below the waist in back and on the sides. The jacket features a rounded collar and notched lapel, long straight sleeves, and two lower, side front, slashed welt pockets. The jacket is completely hand stitched with matching silk thread. The flat, felled seams are back stitched for extra strength. | |
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#2406 $1,900 Silk faille, bib-front dress, c.1800. The ubiquitous sheer white dresses from the early 19th century give the impression the Regency wardrobe lacked color. What a special treat to find a Regency dress in rich cranberry-red silk faille! It is styled with a drop-front bodice, known as bib front. Under the bib front is an ivory cotton under bodice that closes with ties. I love the ruching on the long, slender sleeves. Held for years in a private collection, the dress is completely hand sewn. | |
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#7096 $850 Dresden embroidered organdy skirt, early 19th century. Dresden Embroidery, also known as Point de Saxe, was a form of whitework popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The open work designs, when executed on sheer cotton muslin, were delicate enough to resemble lace. The skirt is made from whisper-sheer white organdy and hand stitched with extremely narrow seams. The skirt closes in back with a hook at the waist. The hem is edged with a wide scalloped border of fine Dresden hand embroidery. Without the enhancement of color, a whitework design depends solely on creative combinations of texture. | |
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#6985 $985 Cotton roller print child's dress, 1820s. Cotton roller print child's dress, c.1820. The style of a short puffed sleeve over a long straight sleeve, common in adult women's dresses of the period, rarely turns up in a child's dress. The dress is roller printed with a pattern of alternating foliate stripes. The cheerful combination of mustard, turkey red, and ivory is perfect for a little princess. The fullness of the bodice can be adjusted with cords inserted into casings. This feature also allowed room for the child to grow. | |
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#1819 $4,950 Gentleman's silk top coat, late 18th century. Fashioned from cocoa brown silk taffeta, woven with tiny ivory polka dots, the coat retains the large self-covered buttons, fold down collar, and wide cuffs of earlier coats. It is lined with ivory silk except for the center back panel, which is linen. Miraculously, the buttons are all intact. The coat is all original. The condition is almost excellent. An extraordinarily fine, historically significant, example of men's formal clothing. | |
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#2321 $1,500 Romantic period plaid cotton wrapper, c.1830. Fashioned from dainty woven plaid fabric and with exaggerated gigot sleeves, the wrapper is an exemplar of the full blown Romantic style. The grand cape-collar (trimmed with ruffles) accentuates the width of the full gigot sleeves. Although the scale of the pumpkin-black-ivory plaid is diminutive, the textural effect works at a distance. The wrapper slips over the head and is open from neckline to hip area. The grand cape-collar (trimmed with ruffles) accentuates the width of the full gigot sleeves. | |
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#1914 $1,250 Satin wedding dress, 1830s. Made from cream colored silk satin, this fine dress is an exemplar of Romantic period style and a great store of value for the collector. The sloping shoulders, small waist, and open neckline create the impression of delicate femininity. The bodice is boned on the side and center-front seams. The bow and elaborate pleating on the bodice front draw attention to the low, wide neckline. The double layers of circular ruffles on the three-quarter-length sleeves are another Romantic period detail. The full skirt emphasizes the slender waist. | |
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#4128 $1,200 Dresden embroidered mull pelerine, 1830s-50s. The heirloom quality piece is an exemplar of fine early whitework. The open work designs of Dresden embroidery, when executed on sheer cotton muslin (mull), were delicate enough to resemble lace. Pelerine shawls, where the front was longer than the back, became popular as skirts became fuller in the 1830s. The shape continued to be worn throughout the 1860s. | |
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#1670 $6,800 Sold French crewel embroidered linen skirt, c.1790. A matchless example of 18th-century needle art with a hand-embroidered point de chainette pattern and hand-stitched seams and hem. Our superb example of 18th-century needle art was hand embroidered by nuns in a French convent. The point de chainette pattern is rendered in colorful wool yarns on a natural beige linen ground. The chain stitch was done with a needle, not with a tambour hook. The stitches are tiny and uniform. The extensive written provenance is powerfully resonant with history, including a dramatic Civil War display at a benefit for Union soldiers. | |
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#1381 $2,900 Rare linen stomacher, c.1730. The stomacher was generally moved from one gown to another, like a piece of jewelry. It is hand-embroidered with polychrome silk floss and metallic floss and in original unaltered condition. The polychrome hand embroidery is executed in silk and bronze metallic floss on a ground of écru linen. The stomacher is backed with linen. The needlework is of unparalleled refinement and beauty! An important and very rare piece of fashion history. | |
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#1643 $1,200 Cotton print day dress, c.1830. Made from a ribbon-weave cotton with alternating sheer voile and opaque stripes. Several features draw attention to the female form: the full skirt, the shoulder details, and the large gigot sleeves work together to make the waist appear smaller, emphasizing female curves. The amazing Romantic-period design features filigreed ferns in charming floral setting. The dress is completely hand sewn although the sewing machine was invented around this time | |
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#1821 $1,500 Provençal hand-quilted waistcoat, c.1800-30. Made from golden yellow cotton and lined with beige cotton and a thin layer of batting. The layers are hand quilted together with a diamond pattern of perfect little stitches. The brilliant marigold hue has long been associated with Provençal plant dyes of wild sumac, saffron, and sunflower petals. The bold and brilliant color signals the joie de vivre of the South of France: the sun showering its life-giving warmth on plants and people alike. | |
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#2177 $800 Cotton print child's dress, c.1815-1820. The roller printed dress features a delightful, tiny calico print. The sleeves and hem are edged with Van Dyke points of plain ivory cotton—an enormous amount of work, since it is all hand sewn. The meticulous attention to detail is impressive. The fullness of the Empire bodice can be adjusted with the cords inserted into casings. There are no problems other than very slight discoloration in the print. | |
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#6778 $1,500 Gentleman's folding pocketbook, c.1770. Worked in wool Irish stitch on canvas by Catherine Steinmetz as a gift for her fiancé, it is lined with green silk, and the edges are bound with brown wool tape. Inside edges are embroidered "John Neveling/his pocketbook/October 28, 1770." What a poignant gesture of love from Colonial America! It was used to carry important papers. Also included is a 4-page handwritten letter by Nancy Quimm Sailer, presenting her research on the pocketbook. | |
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#6711 $900 Hand-painted silk purse, c.1810. Theorem Painting was an American decorative technique from the first part of the 19th century. This superb example of early 19th century textile art features hand-painted velvet theorems padded with newspaper and backed with ivory silk. The theorems are outlined with ivory satin braided cord. The brown silk bag is gathered to fit around the theorems. The hand-painted flowers are still fresh and lovely. Everything is hand stitched. | |
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#1076 $985 Damask gaiter boots, 1830s. Side-lacing half boots with toe and heel foxing of contrasting leather were called gaiter boots, because they resembled gaiters (spats) worn over shoes. This pair features deep green damask uppers lined with ecru cotton canvas twill and foxed with black leather. The boots lace up on one side with the original lacings. Though impractical for serious walking, gaiter boots make the foot appear dainty and genteel. | |
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#1846 $1,500 Metallic embroidered pocket book, mid 18th century. Made from muted turquoise silk damask and lined with aqua silk The design features flattened strips of couched silver combined with ropes of silver bullion, silver chain, satin stitches, and silk floss satin stitch. In person, the silver catches the light and glitters. The subtle color scheme is brought to life by a marvelous variety of texture in the embroidery. | |
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#2319 $975 Rare soft wrap corset, c.1810-1820. Made from ivory cotton and completely hand stitched, the corset has gathered bust inserts and triangular side-hip inserts as the only shaping. It is laced only at the upper back opening. Waistline ties wrap around and pin in front. The corset was likely meant more for modesty under a sheer dress than for significant support. The soft, wrap-style is rarely found. | |
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#1886 $500 Trapunto corded corset, c.1820. Judging by the small size, the ecru cotton corset probably belonged to a young lady. Her name ("A B Colby") is written in ink on the front side near the armhole. The waistline area is reinforced with many rows of corded trapunto. Cording is also used to stiffen the seams and back opening. The center-front of the corset has a full length pocket where the busk would have been inserted. | |
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#1676 $650 Petit point embroidered braces, c.1850. When you look at the fine petit point embroidery, you can just imagine the young lady doing the handwork, while thinking forbidden thoughts of her intended. The embroidery is worked on a canvas ground with mellow shades of silk floss. The backs and edge bindings are fashioned from ivory silk moiré. These braces would make a very special gift for the man in your life! | |
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#6984 $985 Reserved Cotton roller print child's dress, c.1810-1820. Roller printed with alternating stripes of brown and blue leaf patterns. The sleeves and hem are edged with Van Dyke points of plain ivory cotton. This is an enormous amount of work, since everything was sewn by hand. The fullness of the Empire bodice can be adjusted with the cords inserted into casings. We can sense the presence of the wearer through the marks and folds left on the garment. We can see the fold lines where the hem was let out as the child grew taller. | |
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#2342 $950 Child's Berlin woolwork slippers, c.1840. Berlin woolwork or needlepoint was often used to fashion slippers in the mid 19th century. After a lady completed her needlework design for the uppers, she took it to a shoemaker to be attached to soles and then lined. This pair is lined with red hand-quilted silk for warmth. The upper edges are trimmed with bottle-green silk ribbon that forms bows in front. The artless simplicity of the embroidered design is a delight to the sophisticated modern eye. | |
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#2292 Sold Regency straw bonnet, 1820s. Fashioned from natural colored straw and lined with peach silk, the bonnet is all original. The crown is decorated with branches of velveteen flowers and with a whimsical band of raffia corkscrew curls. Even without decoration, bonnets from this period command attention with their imposing sculptural shape. The original decoration is a bonus for the collector. | |
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#2196 $1,400 Chenille embroidered satin waistcoat fronts, mid 18th century. In couched embroidery, a yarn too large or too stiff to pass through the fabric is tacked down by another lighter yarn that can be passed through to the backside. The chenille yarn is couched on the satin surface with fine silk floss. The embroidery artfully balances positive and negative space in the fern-and-floral motif to achieve a rich and complex design. The waistcoat fronts are backed with linen. The embroidery is stitched through both layers. A superb example of textile art. | |
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#1075 $975 Child's printed cloth, heelless shoes, c.1830. I love the printed cotton with its tiny Xs and vermicular background! The heels and toes are foxed with black leather, and the upper edges are bound with folded ribbon. The hand-stitched shoes close in front with ties. Remarkably good condition for such an important historical artifact. | |
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#1891 $4,000 Silk/damask shoes, c.1780. The uppers of the shoes are fashioned from beige (lighter in hue when new) silk damask woven with a monochromatic pattern of narrow stripes and bouquets of small flowers. Great care was taken in the construction of the shoes to make sure that flowers were placed on each toe. The shoes are lined with matching linen. The delicate heel, pointed toes, and peaked throat are all style features of the late 18th century. Neoclassical design at its best: elegant but restrained. | |
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#1000 $385 Silk satin half boots, c.1830. The side-lacing boots are lined with ivory linen and have no heels. Narrow half-boots of delicate satin made the foot appear smaller, more shapely, and feminine. The American Peterson's Magazine wrote (1855) that "nothing can be more elegant than a pure white or black satin shoe." Colored footwear went out of fashion in the 1830s, when hem lines hit the floor—an embrace of feminine modesty just before Queen Victoria ascended the throne. | |
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#1756 $350 Lady's linen chemise, c.1820-1830. Chemises in pattern catalogues are picture flat so you can see how they are cut. The triangular side panels in the pictures give the impression the chemise stands out from the body on the side. In fact, these side panels push the front and back into graceful bias folds. The neckline and sleeve edges are trimmed with hand-embroidered scallops. The chemise has a hand-embroidered, monogrammed "AF" in front. Even if your initials are not "AF," this chemise may be meant for you! | |
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#2177.5 $650 Infant's hand-embroidered dress, c.1815-1820. The infant's dress, open in the back, is lovingly decorated with fine hand embroidery, tiny tucks, and bands of pointed trim. The pointed trim is completely hand stitched from the same fabric as the dress; the time it took to produce the trim boggles the mind. The dress has the original drawstring to adjust the neckline fullness. There runs through the artless decoration a charming vein of simplicity. | |
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#1855 $350 Hand-embroidered infant's bonnet, c.1800. Fashioned from sheer cotton muslin with insets of needle-run tulle. The embroidered florets are executed in chain stitch—they appear raised above the surface. The bonnet has drawstring ties on the lower edge and along the front. The purity and restraint of textured white stitches on a sheer white ground perfectly suited the Neo-classical aesthetic. There could not be a more pleasurable indulgence than buying this extraordinarily fine bonnet for a beloved infant. |