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#0613 $1,400 Hemingway wedding gown, c.1883. Made from cream-colored silk faille, the gown is finely embellished with a matching chiffon neckline insert, bands of crystal beads and faux pearls, and a wide bodice flounce of handmade Brussels lace. The exaggerated puffed sleeve caps and sweeping back train, which makes a dramatic sweep, add drama to the design. There inheres in the dress an uncommon beauty, both historic and classic, befitting the most important occasion in a bride's life. NEW LISTING | |
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#2408 $575 Ribbed bustle cage, 1880s. A short petticoat is attached to a back bustle extension shaped with steel rods. The bustle cage is made of heavy cotton twill and closes in front with 3 glass buttons. The shape and size of the bustle cage can be adjusted on the inside with lacing and buckles. The petticoat style helps keep the bustle positioned in back, where it should be. An important Victorian fashion artifact! NEW LISTING | |
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#6861 $975 Beaded macramé/velvet pelerine, 1880s. It features black velvet front and back panels with black macramé sides. The beads in the macramé were incorporated into the mesh as it was formed. With shades of coral, bronze, and silver as well as a lively mix of texture, the elaborate beading is spectacular. The pelerine closes in front with concealed hooks. | |
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#4111 $2,200 Hand-embroidered Kashmir shawl mantle, 1870s. The brilliantly hued mantle was fashioned from a hand-embroidered Indian Kashmir shawl. Lined with red satin and trimmed with variegated chenille fringe, the mantle closes in front with concealed hooks. The hauntingly beautiful star-shaped center of the shawl on the back is the most dramatic element of the design. | |
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#c331 $950 Jeanne Hallée Cluny lace bodice, c.1900. Made from handmade Cluny lace over bronzed gold lamé, the bodice features a haunting, mesmerizing design—an harmonious symphony in lace! The collar is embellished with horizontal bands of gold lamé and decorative cut-steel buttons set with rhinestones. The front opening has black chiffon panels sandwiched between the lace and the lamé. | |
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#6860 $1,200 Chantilly lace parasol, c.1860. I love the combination of black Chantilly lace and purple silk taffeta. The high-relief carving of the ivory handle is a work of art! The delicate carving features 3 exquisitely detailed portrait busts set in a garden of fruits and flowers. Here is everything the serious collector could want—gorgeous color, beautiful Chantilly lace, and an intricately hand carved handle! | |
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#2387 $850 Hand-stitched cotton peignoir, 1850s-60s. The front opening, neckline, and sleeves are decorated with intricately ruched ruffles with trapunto cording. The bodice seams are outlined with self-covered corded piping. Self-covered, embroidered buttons decorate the sash ties. The wide sleeves anticipate the popular pagoda-sleeve style of the Civil War period, as do the cartridge pleated full skirt and dropped shoulders. | |
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#6575 $985 Gentleman's striped silk chapan. A traditional robe from Afghanistan fashioned from silk satin cloth woven with alternating stripes of wine-and-gold chevrons and plain ivory. This fine piece fits in with a fashion trend from 100 years ago making a big comeback: ethnic clothing. | |
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#1579 $500 Woven raffia and straw bonnet, c.1895. Late Victorian bonnets were pure embellishment with no pretext of function. This fabulous floral sculpture is more of a hair ornament than a hat meant to shield the wearer from the weather. The hat is trimmed with pink silk taffeta ribbon, silver silk damask ribbon, and small silk flowers. The pure sculptural form displays beautifully! | |
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#2399 $2,100 Reserved Ribbon-embroidered net coat, c.1900. The "lace" is actually embroidery on a net ground. The textural combination of black ribbon and braid is an especially imaginative design element that makes the design "pop." The distinctly Iberian black used is so powerful that the designer should have had to pay a royalty for the privilege, as the great painter Manet effectually did. The intense black underlines the effect of a meeting of light and texture. | |
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#1366 $975 Mme. Bérangère soutache paletot, 1870s. The wide, wing-like sleeves were the height of fashion in the 1870s. In the paletot, the sleeves are set in rather than being cut-in-one with the body of the jacket, as in a mantle. The exterior is embellished with a design of large botehs rendered in bronzed gold soutache with accents of gold-and-black braided cord. The motifs give to the brilliant design the Eastern exoticism coming into fashion in the West in the 1870s. | |
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#0581 $950 Hand-embroidered linen coat, c.1890. I love the wide three-quarter-length sleeves: perfect for summer. The sinuous floral pattern of padded satin stitch and seeding is superbly executed in cotton floss. The abstract motif is like a simple theme with variations on the skirt, sleeves, and back. Truly versatile design—you can also wear this beauty as a dress. | |
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#4110 $1,900 Reserved Wool paisley coat, c.1900-1906. The loosely cut, flared coat hangs in graceful folds. The fullness of the wide three-quarter length sleeves, cut-in-one with the body of the coat, is gathered into decorative cuffs. The ivory center of the shawl was used to fashion the collar. What a stylish reprise of the classic "paisley" motif! | |
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#4112 $1,950 Handmade lace/plush coat, c.1900. Fashioned from ivory plush faux fur, the stunning masterpiece of textural monochromatic design is as magnificent today as when first worn. With wide roomy sleeves, the cut is simple and slightly flared. The coat is lined with matching satin faced along the neckline and lower corners with exquisite handmade silk Cluny lace. | |
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#c344 $2,500 Doucet couture silk/lace cape, c.1890-1900. Created by Jacques Doucet, celebrated for dignity and luxury in couture. The cape is fashioned from a combination of black silk taffeta, delicate black lace, and sheer silk chiffon textured with multiple rows of narrow hand-stitched tucks. Known for his abundant use of lace and filmy fabrics, Doucet transformed the typical heavy black mourning garment of the period into a seductive and alluring work of art. |
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#6633 $950 Beaded embroidered velvet cape, c.1895. Fashioned from black velvet elaborately embellished with couched soutache and faceted black glass beads, whose subtle sparkle will delight all. The exotic floral motif draws the viewer in with its flowing, highly-stylized, curvilinear forms, perfectly capturing the Art Nouveau aesthetic, then at a peak of popularity. | |
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#1580 $500 Raffia summer bonnet, c.1885. The bonnet is built upon a wire-stiffened base bordered with black velvet and lined with black silk. The top is covered with a profusion of looped raffia and small fabric flowers. I love the cheerful gold flowers. The lovely creation is more of a hair ornament than a hat meant to shield the wearer from the weather. |
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#6848 $800 Reserved Embroidered taffeta skirt, mid 19th century. Fashioned from thrilling electric blue silk taffeta. This amazing color resonates with a mesmerizing pleasure in the viewer. The fabric is exquisitely hand embroidered with square medallions of French knots, satin stitch, and stem stitch as well as a scalloped, satin stitch hem border. The hand-stitched skirt has deep front pleats and cartridge pleating across the back. | |
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#1573 $2,800 Hand-embroidered dressing gown, c.1872. The exquisite silk taffeta wrapper with its train and bustle back is a perfect example of boudoir attire that retains elements of street dress. The exquisite artistry of the embroidery is seen in the true-to-nature, pregnant petals and the subtle color transitions from the green-gray leaves to the gray-mellon petals. | |
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#4005 $975 Linen duster cape, c.1900. It is sleeveless under the outer cape collar and has wonderful scalloped edges on the collar, pockets, and outer cape. The self-covered buttons in the front and on the pockets are miraculously all there. The cape is an important historical artifact that displays beautifully. | |
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#1377 $1,050 Sold Worth beaded evening bodice, c.1891. The silk is woven in alternating stripes of patterned moiré and satin. The quiet color scheme comes alive with the reflection of light on the variant texture. The bodice is decorated with applied silver passementerie embroidered with clear crystal beads and silver sequins. In the high style bodice, the opulent elegance of the Gilded Age is materialized in the world of high fashion. | |
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#6603 $3,200 Pingat beaded velvet swan mantle, c.1890. From the peerless master of surface decoration and outerwear, a sublime Art Nouveau design of stylized swans. The faceted jet black beads sparkle in the light. The neckline is bordered with clipped feathers, a characteristic Pingat treatment. | |
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#c358 $2,950 Hand-embroidered wedding dress, c.1881. The style is regal and elegant. The silk satin/faille bodice, train, and skirt are hand-embroidered with sprays of ivory silk floss flowers, executed in satin stitch with French knot accents. The sleeves and neckline are trimmed with Brussels lace flounces. The superb hand embroidery sets this magnificent creation above other dresses on any day of the year. | |
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#6355 $3,100 Reserved Couture quality beaded gown, c.1890. The front of the skirt features alternating rows of beaded tulle and delicate beige floral lace. I love the stylized foliate design. The contrasting beads are opaque white glass. A couture masterpiece in which art has exhausted all its invention, and wealth offered all its resources. | |
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#6712 $750 Native American beaded pouch, late 1800s. the pouch is totally beaded with tiny glass seed beads. The exotic bird design is the same on both front and back. The ivory cotton twill lining is hand stitched to the beaded exterior. Here is true folk art from over a century ago, when Native American culture still had an independent life. | |
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#6195 $1,100 Gentleman's embroidered shoes, c.1850. Made from brown leather with contrasting tan velvet toes. The toes are hand-embroidered with flower sprays of chenille and silk floss. The latchet-tie closure, a carry-over from the 18th century, remained in style throughout the first half of the 19th century. Most striking is the delightful decoration on the shoes, so sturdy and practical, truly a celebration of individual craftsmanship and design. | |
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#1550 $975 Sold Worth numbered couture wedding bodice, c.1897. The superb silk satin damask, woven with a pattern of lilies, is a testament to the unique status of the House of Worth among the American elite. The bodice displays beautifully: the quality of the fabric is unmistakable from a distance. The front is heavily boned with several rows of stays in the manner of an 18th century corset. I love the large satin bows and the draped sleeve flounces that elegantly frame the arm. | |
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#1917 $950 Provençal hand-quilted petticoat, c.1850. The design features trailing vines of red and blue flowers on an ivory ground. The cheerful melange of delicate blue, red, green and brown leaves, flowers and buds, fluttering in the breeze, proclaims the warmth of sun drenched Provence. | |
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#1536 $1,400 Sold House of Rouff velvet cape, c.1890. The design concept seems based on shape and color with no ornamentation until you see the amazing lining of rich gold silk faille with ribbon-woven satin stripes in a purple that echoes in muted tones the majestic purple of the exterior. When the cape is opened, showing the sumptuous inner silk, the understated opulence of the cape is revealed. | |
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#1245 $1,600 Silk taffeta ballgown, c.1870. The iridescent gold taffeta is as fresh and glowing today as it was when new. The hand-sewn bodice has a wide neckline, shoulder bows, and short pleated sleeves. It is cut longer and fuller in back with an inner cord to hold the fullness in place. The skirt features a dainty pleated bustle pad in back and a pleated hem flounce. The construction is superb, and the condition is excellent. | |
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#6804 $750 Two-piece wool bathing costume, c.1895-1900. The one-piece bloomer suit is covered with a detachable skirt, which attaches to the under suit with buttons along the waist. The ensemble is fashioned from navy wool and is trimmed with bands of white soutache. I love the jaunty sailor collar in this an fine historical artifact. | |
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#0355 $950 Post Civil War day dress, c.1867. Fashioned from lightweight cotton voile printed with brown and ivory stripes. There are three separate pieces: the bodice, an underskirt, and a draped overskirt. The draping ingeniously plays with the direction of the stripes. This magnificent period piece retains the heartfelt simplicity of the earlier Romantic period, while anticipating the bustle styles of the late Victorian age. | |
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#2214 $750 Boy's linen skirt suit, 1870s. Made from brown lightweight linen and decorated with bands of dark olive braid trim. The double breasted jacket has half-moon shaped pockets and mother-of-pearl buttons. It is a fascinating remnant of our cultural history. Even as late as 1870, it was considered proper for an upper middle class boy to be dressed in a skirt. Other than the seams, the suit is all hand sewn. | |
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#1784 $975 Boy's wool suit, c.1870. It is decorated with bands of woven black trim and textured silk buttons, which miraculously are intact. The kilted skirt slips over the head with no closure and buttons to the shirt. The white cotton shirt has a wide collar, front pleats, and ruffles. A fascinating remnant of our cultural history. | |
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#6806 $800 Embroidered/appliquéd taffeta cape, c.1850. The edges are hand appliquéd with embroidered rosettes and corded zigzag trim. Wide borders of hand-knotted silk fringe complete the decoration. The artful design communicates a sense of both playfulness (fringes) and classical consummation, as in a Greek temple frieze (alternating rosettes and zigzag trim). | |
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#1534 $850 French velvet boots, c.1890. These sharp-looking boots were meant to be worn outdoors, to be seen by all, especially by male eyes. The provocative red and black colors project their own subliminal frisson—all the more when the boots are taken off or put on. | |
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#4078 $750 Beaded ivory satin wedding shoes, c.1890. Featuring elaborately beaded toes and shapely high Louis heels. The shoes are lined with ivory kid, while the soles are leather. The embellishment on the toes is worked with slightly iridescent crystal beads, giving a hint of sparkling pastel color. The beaded satin bows are to die for. | |
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#2007 $1,200 Hand-embroidered silk cloak, c.1890-1900. Made from an ivory Chinese hand-embroidered silk shawl. The cape collar is formed by folding over one side of the shawl. The cloak closes in front with braided tassels. This is art that conceals art. Using symmetry by reflection, the floral motif has a subtle, undying beauty. | |
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#6554 $850 Two-tone linen bustle dress, 1880s. Three unlined pieces: a long bodice, an under skirt, and a draped over skirt. The pieces are embellished with embroidered, scalloped borders and with darker brown piping on some seams (a favorite fashion theme of the period). The long bodice is gracefully shaped with princess line seams. The bustle shape remains one of the most popular with collectors. | |
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#1794 $1,975 Gentlemen's broad fall linen trousers, c.1850. Made from natural beige linen. The pockets and facings are of écru cotton and are diagonally set in and so hidden by the fall front. The trousers retain all of the original bone buttons. This is a transitional style, retaining the broad fall front. For an artifact of men's fashion from over 150 years ago, the trousers are in amazingly good condition. | |
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#6577 $450 Child's fancy cotton dress, c.1880. Fashioned from crisp white cotton piqué. The texture of the weave is accentuated with bands of braided cotton trim and eyelet ruffles. The dress is absolutely perfect, although four buttons in back are old replacements. | |
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#2106 $875 Mixed Irish lace/Battenberg lace pelerine, c.1900. Fashioned from hand-assembled Battenberg lace with inserts of Irish crocheted lace. The pattern is intricate, bold, and texturally exciting. Add a touch of elegance to a basic dress with this fine antique fashion accessory. | |
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#6612 $1,100 Velvet day dress with provenance, c.1900. The elegant hourglass shape, the dark rich velvet, the lace trim, and especially the dainty black lace ruffles on the sleeves all create an impression of tasteful refinement. The unlined skirt, smooth over the hips, forms a graceful train in back. A fine vintage dress that is a stylish artifact of our cultural heritage. | |
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#1598 $450 Straw sporting hat, c.1890. Fashioned from brown straw, the hat has a jaunty rolled brim lined with burgundy silk. The crown is trimmed with striped silk ribbon. This is a real rarity and collector's treasure. The stylish hat has a strong presence and makes an excellent display. | |
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#6214 $375 Valenciennes handmade lace baby bonnet, c.1850. Fashioned from alternating bands of handmade Valenciennes lace and hand-embroidered batiste. Three rows of Valenciennes ruffles outline the face of the baby. The circular back, hand-embroidered with padded satin stitch and open work, is outlined with a scalloped border. | |
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#6213 $375 Whitework baby bonnet, c.1850. Made from sheer cotton batiste covered with some of the finest hand-embroidered whitework I have seen. The intricate pattern features a variety of leaves rendered in padded satin stitch with eyelet berries and open work bell-shaped flowers. The circular back panel is outlined with a scalloped border. Even the mesh openwork is done by hand! |