Welcome Fall!
Fall has arrived in all its glory here at the Museum! Above you can see a sampling of some of my favorite adult bonnets displayed on my sideboard, 'Olde English'. from left to right, starting with the bonnet atop 2 c1840 & 50 hat boxes.....is a lady's cream silk velvet hat with blonde lace streamers, referred to as a 'Eugenie' style. It is the same era, early 1870's, as the plum silk visiting gown you will see later. Next, are two early 1820s leghorn poke bonnets with gorgeous watered silk ribbon chin ties(all bonnets in this photo have original trims). The term "Poke Bonnet" was loosely used in the 19th century for a great many decades~ depending on the year you were in, determined how deep the bonnet's brim. In nearly all circumstances, tho, if viewed from the side, the face of the wearer could not be seen. Moving on to the 4th bonnet, this is really a nice example of a 'fanchon'. This type bonnet became popular directly after the Civil War and into the early 1870s. It was worn towards the back of the head. It looks beaded from afar, but up close, as you can see below, it is made from rows of little balls..........

And on even closer inspection, you will realize that this entire bonnet is handmade of straw that has been twisted, contorted and arranged very neatly~ even the little balls are made of folded straw. A true masterpiece of design and handiwork. This bonnet would have been extremely expensive in its day~ definitely owned by a very well to do woman of Society.
Next bonnet after this, a wonderful c1834 leghorn Poke, then next a black velvet hat, my earliest, c1800-10, with label. Up on the last stand is a late 18teens gold silk poke, again with makers label, and a white lady's day cap last. One of these, in different styles, of coarse, would have been worn under each of these bonnets, so the wears hair would never come in contact with the bonnet itself.
I have just 3 gowns in this vignette, an 1850 black silk day gown, to the left, a lavender silk day gown, c1865, and on the right, spectacular c1872 plum silk & velvet visiting gown. This was worn by my Lady in her parlour to receive guests....never worn outside.

This black silk taffeta gown is one of my favorites, because the bodice is quite special~ its a maternity bodice. On either side of the front, there are lacing side gussets so the wearer could expand the fit as her tummy grew. These are extremely rare! There is a very misguided rumor that women did nothing but stay indoors through out their pregnancy~ when actually, just the opposite is true. They continued on about their daily business right up until the last few weeks, then entering into confinement.

Ladye here, is holding a period c1850 openwork basket purse on her arm. I specialize in these little purses, sooo precious and sooo fragile. We have over 100 examples here. The above purse is nearly identical in weave to the one held in the daguerreotype below

Did you ever wonder what women were wearing during the battles of our Great Civil War? Below is a day dress, c1865~ just beautiful lavender tissue silk trimmed in sea foam green bias satin strips, cloth buttons and AWESOME chenille & pearl fringe
There is not a machine stitch on any of these gowns
How I would have loved to been in the store where this trim was purchased~ it may have been brought by boat across the Atlantic from France.

An All Hallow's Eve Masquerade
I hope you will take a minute and stop by the Primitive Gathering on the 15th to see all the new goodies everyone has to offer! Ascha will be there~ all decked out for the Masquerade!

c1750-65 Lady's Brown Linen Strapped Stays
These snapshots leave alot to be desired, but thought you would enjoy them just the same. Alas, I thought I had found the perfect 'girl', but, as you can see.....she is much to well 'endowed' for my stays to fit properly.............my quest will continue! Being a private entity, I just cant afford the 2-3 grand for a correct 18th century form mannequin of proper posture~ I'd rather have another dress. I think you can get a goode idea of what these stays looked like when originally worn.

They are in immaculate, near mint condition~ fully lined in a crisp, original cream linen. Entirely hand stitched over whalebone strips~ too numerous to count. They are so very rigid~ a sheer monstrosity when it comes to trying to store them..........yet, when fitted and laced, they twist and turn in all the right directions, and mold the body like butter. Because of the sheer brute strength needed in the hands to stitch them, nearly all staymakers were men.
All the back lacing eyelets are precisely stitched in white linen, as are the lacing eyelets for the shoulder straps. The main reason these stays don't fit well on a modern form, is the placement of the shoulders~ 18th century posture dictated the arms and shoulders held way back~ all the time~ it was common the shoulder blades to touch each other. While you are sitting comfortably at your computer, take note of your posture, and now, sit erect and jet your shoulders back as far as they will go..........until it is uncomfortable~ chances are, your posture still would not be correct~ hence the need for stays~ they sucked the waist IN, narrowed the ribs down to a conical shape, and thrust the bust UP, pushing the shoulders back until they could go no further.
I love how contrasting thread was used, and major seams taped in same~ a true work of art.
It was more common for the back lacing to start at the bottom, and continue up skipping every other eyelet~ then once at the top turn around and lace back down to the bottom......but these have clear wear marks of where the laced originally laid, and I have laced them in that fashion
The tabs at the bottom not only eased out prettily over the hips, they also gave 'displaced flesh' a place to retreat to

Stays shown over a later 1790 linen shift

Savoring the Last Few Sweet Days of Summer...............
Next commeth September?????????? Allready? Where did the summer go? We have been very busie here at the LRM~ I guess it has put me in a time warp...seems like just yesterday the children were ancious for the last day of school. Lately all I have been hearing is 'Mom~ when is school going to start?' Come Sept 4 they will be on their way again...........at least I will have lil Pippin here to keep mommy & dollys company! I have some wonderful new things here at the museum that will be getting their photographs soon to share.....and of coarse some new dollys!
This is one of my favorite Queen Anne dollys~ Mifs Thankful Purdy. I always have adored the name "Thankful".....one of the original passengers on the Mayflower had this name, along with a brother, "Wrestling". Being a mother of 4 children myself.....I can get a pretty goode idea of why that little fellow was named 'Wrestling'.............

I had planned on selling Mifs Thankful........but truth be told, mommy likes her an awful , awful lot. We have had a long discussion, and she will be staying here with me! So, since space at the Inn is always limited, I will be listing a very, very special girl up on eBay this night~ I hope you will stop by and take a peek at my auctions & support the LRM!

Meet Clara Whittington, c1745
This is my latest Queen Anne doll~ if you like her, or would like to see 'more' of her, she will be offered on eBay sometime this week!
She wears an exact replica of a c1745 sack dress out of a gorgeous reproduction cotton chintz, with apron and engagents of antique lace. Her real shoes have leather soles and lil brass buckles with silk bows......
She wears 3 strands of real pearls around her neck, has real inset antique brown glass eyes, and I have given her coils of real braided mohair. You can just barely see her antique lace tippet in the profile there~ this is how a Ladye of 1745 actually wore her hair
No sack dress would be complete without a proper set of pannier hoops~ I snapped this picture of them before I dressed her..........shhhhhhh~ don't tell! They are blue sateen stripe cotton hand stitched over wire hoops; the pattern taken from an original

A Mysterious Visitor comes calling.................

I awoke early this morning to the normal chirping of the hummingbirds outside my window....when I realized, that I had not opened that window evening last.......and as I rolled over in the bed, a whisp of a shadow caught my eye, and I was suddenly betwixed.................
As my eyes focused, I had indeed seen what my mind 'told' me I had seen.......a special visitor~ oh how I do love visitors! She was a very mysterious creature.....very polite, but quite reserved. Tituba regailed me with many tales of her travels,and how she had been told I kept an "Inn", and if she may stay a while. How could I resist? One soft gaze into her bewitching eyes.......and I was smitten with her. Every move graceful and planned...yet she was hiding something I could tell.....................

I lead her down to the Inn....we sipped a cup of orange clove tea, and she slipped silently into the shadows......I believe I have indeed been visited by a Witche....tho she wants not her full "Tale" to be revealed.....yet......if one catches a glimpse under her skirts, the true "Tail" shall indeed be known
It is dark, but you may just be able to make out what she has wrapped secretly 'round her legs.....shall I dare ask her to reveal the Tail????

c1725 Boy's Silk Brocade Shortcoat, bizarre silk c1690-1700
I am so proud and honored to have this little gem here at the Museum. Boy's clothing from the 18th century is as rare as a hen's tooth.....and to have a piece this early, takes my breath away. This is what would have been called at the time, a shortcoat. Made for a little boy younger than 4 years olde~ he would have been given this shortcoat after learning to walk~ as there is no evidence of leading strings.
The front has a mock tabbed waistband edged in green silke. After the age of 4, little boys would have graduated up to a frock~ which is essentially this same idea, but bodice and skirt would be separate, and bodice would most likely be boned, ( stiffened with whalebone). See how symmetrical the design of the silke has been pieced? This was the norm throughout the entire 18th century~ this symmetrical design concept~ everything must be even, and patterns of brocade matched perfectly.
Here is a side view of the sleeve, open at the cuffs with hand sewn eyelets and original laces. Just above the cuff is a separate 'wing' cuff.....it makes for a stunning silhouette

Wing cuff back view. The silke on this piece is still very bright and in excellent condition. Unlike 19th century silkes and early 20th century Edwardian examples that were thin and weighted with chemicals....18th century ones are pure silk, very dense and heavy, often pieces could take months to hand weave, spending 12+ hours a day at the loom.....making them extremely expensive and valuable. When a person dies in the 16-1700's, their estate was inventoried and divided as per their will to their heirs, with textiles and clothing often being more valuable than land & furniture property.
View inside the cuff~ entire coat is lined in taupe silke
This design of silk is referred to as 'bizarre', due to the large foliate design of the weaving
Entirely stitched by hand, one wishes they could see who originally laid these fine stitches
Back view showing eyelets for lacing~ original laces have vanished. I hope you enjoy a peek at this very rare little work of art.