Red stripe gown fragment

Status

Not on view

Datec. 1785

Medium/TechniqueSilk

DimensionsOverall: 26 5/8 in. × 4 1/2 in. (67.63 cm × 11.43 cm)

Credit LineGift of Colonel and Mrs. Edward Parke Custis Lewis Cumming, 1961

Object numberW-2370/A

DescriptionThe design of this textile is done through a complicated lampas technique. The face of the fragment alternated between corduroy (the red stripes), and a white stripe bearing a floral motif--perhaps imitating ribbon. The white stripes are edged in 1/16 inch of sky blue with a vine motif of light and dark green and blue-petaled flowers with a purple center and a yellow highlight. The white stripe is 9/16 inch wide (11/16 including the blue edging), and red stripe is 11/16 inch wide. The floral motif shows a straight repeat of 1 1/4 inches. The corduroy sits over a plain weave structure and is created using supplementary warp floats. Only one weft ties down the supplementary warps, creating the thin stripe of the 7/1 corduroy. Combined with the lampas technique, this tells us that the weaver used 3 sets of warps (the maximum), and seven sets of wefts.

The top edge is the fragment are folded into knife pleats 1/2 inch deep with 1/4 inch overlap. Using W-639/A as a comparison, this places the fragment toward the back of the skirt, or at least four pleats away from the front opening. Evidence of the seam attaching the fragment to the bodice exists 1 1/4 inches from the top of the fragment.

The piece shows some fraying along the long sides as well as dark staining near the top.

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