Green floral silk gown fragment

Status

Not on view

Date1750-1770

Geography Possibly made - EnglandPossibly made - France

Medium/TechniqueBrocaded silk

DimensionsOverall: 7 3/4 in. × 5 1/4 in. (19.69 cm × 13.34 cm)

Credit LineGift of Miss Chapman, 1890

Object numberW-544/F

DescriptionThe fragment consists of an unbalanced plain weave with floated weft brocade. The pattern consists of a vertical, serpentine vine motif with flowers, berries, and leafs. A small amount of lace patterning complements the semi-naturalistic floral motif. The pattern repeats vertically every 6 inches, and horizontally every 2 1/2 inches. The motif is executed by floating, additional continuous wefts.

The small repeat, semi-naturalism, serpentine, and lace pattern suggest a date in the 1750s or 1760s.

The fragment bears a seam along the top edge with an allowance of 3/8 inch. The seam is secured with a line of running stitches, and the allowance is felled with running stitches. The thread used for the seam is a green silk or linen; the same thread is present in several other fragments of the same fabric.

There are small puncture holes throughout the fragment. While they resembling stitch holes, they are extremely widely spaced. The hole for a line down the center of the fragment.

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