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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. NEW LISTING | |
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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 underbodice that closes with ties. I love the ruching on the long, slender sleeves. | |
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#6922 Sold Satin evening dress, late 1820s. The superb early dress comes from the family of Revolutionary War veteran, Captain Rufus Lincoln (1751-1838). Made from lightweight satin, the dress has a soft, graceful drape. The style is transitional from the slender Empire dresses of 1800-1820 to the fuller skirts and slightly lower waists of the Romantic period. The mellow glow of the buttery cream color is quite delightful. | |
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#2321 $1,900 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. | |
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#2404 $900 Hand-embroidered summer Spencer, c.1815. The Spencer was the perfect accessory for sheer, high-waisted Regency gowns with open necklines. Spencers were worn both as lightweight indoor coverings and as outdoor jackets for warmth. There are two thread loops in back to hold a ribbon sash. The abundant hand-embroidered decoration makes this one of finest Spencers I have found. I love the scalloped detail on the cuffs. | |
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#1381 $2,900 Rare linen stomacher, c.1730. Hand-embroidered with polychrome silk floss and metallic floss and in original unaltered condition. The needlework is of unparalleled refinement and beauty! The stomacher is backed with linen. An important and very rare piece of fashion history. | |
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#2388 $650 Man's white linen shirt, c.1830. Fashioned from linen with finely pleated white cotton ruffles, the shirt is open in front and does not have the side vents of earlier shirts. The shirt is completely hand stitched with exceptionally fine work. The side seams are formed by joining the selvedge edges of the cloth with overcast stitches, so finely wrought that they are almost impossible to detect. | |
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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. The center-front of the corset has a full length pocket where the busk would have been inserted. | |
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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. 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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#6845 $1,750 Reserved Metallic brocaded silk dress, c.1810. Fashioned from ivory silk shantung brocaded with small Neo-classical motifs of metallic silver. The front neckline is bordered with matching metallic trim. The dress is completely hand stitched and has a linen under bodice in back. The rare metallic brocaded silk fabric and the exceptional provenance (Rufus Lincoln) make for a great collector's piece. | |
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#6778 $2,000 Gentleman's folding pocketbook, c.1770. Worked in wool Irish stitch on canvas by Catherine Steinmetz as a gift for her fiancé. The 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, e.g., deeds and wills. Also included is a 4-page handwritten letter by Nancy Quimm Sailer, presenting her research on the pocketbook. | |
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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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#1643 $1,200 Cotton print day dress, c.1830. Fashioned 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 the curves of the female figure. The amazing Romantic-period design features filigreed ferns in charming floral setting. | |
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#1821 $1,800 Provençal hand-quilted waistcoat, c.1800-30. Fashioned 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. | |
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#2177 $800 Cotton print child's dress, c.1815-1820. The cotton dress is roller printed with a 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. | |
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#6714 $900 Bead knitted bag, c.1833. This 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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#6711 $900 Hand-painted silk purse, c.1810. 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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#6847 $800 Sold Child's dress from Rufus Lincoln estate, c.1830. The hand-stitched dress is fashioned from lightweight brown linen hand-embroidered with garlands of ivory flowers. It has all the features expected in the best adult examples of the period: huge gigot sleeves, tucked crossover bodice, and self-corded piping in the seams. The dress descended in the family of Captain Rufus Lincoln (1751-1838). | |
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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. | |
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#1076 $985 Damask gaiter boots, 1830s. Featuring 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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#6552 $900 Silk damask dress, c.1825-1830. This lovely silk damask dress is transitional between the low-cut, straight empire dresses and the fuller skirts, higher necklines, and gigot sleeves of the Romantic period. The directness and integrity of the overall design have an enduring charm and resonance. | |
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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 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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#1939 $800 Embroidered silk purse, c.1790. Made from raspberry silk taffeta and lined with pale peach taffeta. The edges of the purse are trimmed with beige silk braid gimp. The unfaded color is remarkable. This delightful fold over purse is hand embroidered in chain stitch with a lover's maxim that "everything is pleasurable when you are in love." | |
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#1846 $1,900 Metallic embroidered pocket book, mid 18th century. Fashioned from muted turquoise silk damask and lined with aqua silk The design features flattened strips of couched silver. These are 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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#1822 $1,800 Brocaded silk lady's waistcoat, c.1770. 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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#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. 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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#1683 $1,600 Gentleman's hand-embroidered silk waistcoat, c.1790-1805. Lavishly decorated with a floral pattern of polychrome silk floss. A stunning example of beautiful hand-embroidery in men's wear from two centuries ago. | |
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#2196 $1,400 Chenille embroidered satin waistcoat fronts, mid 18th century. 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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#1676 $650 Petit point embroidered braces, c.1850. 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. What magnificent petit point embroidery on these stylish braces, the progenitor of modern suspenders! The perfect gift for the man in your life. | |
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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. 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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#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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#1840 $2,200 Rare Native American deerskin slippers, c.1820s. Because of their rarity, they are an important early clothing artifact. Most early Colonial shoe styles were hand produced and worn until they died; very few examples survive. The deerskin slippers are hand embroidered with a chain stitch pattern of abstract florals. The upper edge is bound with navy silk ribbon. The inside is lined with ivory cotton, and the sole is lined with linen. The soles are leather. | |
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#2177.5 $650 Infant's hand-embroidered dress, c.1815-1820. The pointed trim is completely hand stitched from the same fabric as the dress, which is lovingly decorated with fine hand embroidery, tiny tucks, and bands of pointed trim. There runs through the artless decoration a charming vein of simplicity. | |
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#2320 $1,800 Sold Regency cotton wedding dress, c.1810. Fashioned from white corded cotton and completely hand sewn. The hem is decorated with bands of hand sewn pleats. The bodice front panel is bias cut; the bodice sides are lined with white linen; and the bodice back has attached linen under panels. Sewn into the bodice is a handwritten ink note with the name of the owner. Here is a rewarding research project for genealogical buffs. | |
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#6568 $1,400 Regency silk damask shawl, c.1820. The color is either muted or glowing, depending on the light. The stylized floral pattern, influenced by Kashmir shawl designs in vogue in the early 19th century, is softened by the pastel coloring. The shifting hue—rose to peach—gives vibrancy to this magnificent shawl. | |
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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." | |
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#1756 $550 Lady's linen chemise, c.1820-1830. 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! |