A virtual department store of antique clothing & textiles

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The superlative collection of Mary Ireland

The superlative collection of Mary Ireland

Cap with original ribbons, 1830 - 35. Mary Ireland Collection. I wish I could have met Mary Ireland. Luckily, I know someone who did! I have just purchased a large number of costume accessories, mostly dating to the first half of the 19th Century, a few 18th Century and some later. These all came from the costume collection of Mary Ireland. Some are very rare, such as the cap shown left, and the spencer shown below: Spencer of silk gauze & pink silk under-layer, 1805-08. Mary

From open robe to round gown? Late 18th Century dress in transition. Part 2

From open robe to round gown? Late 18th Century dress in transition. Part 2

I hope that you have read Part 1 of this blog, and my comparison with Kelly's open robe and Nancy Bradfield's sketches of the same. Now we come to the sewing required to finish this dress, approximately 220 years after our Georgian lady left it. The sewing is not difficult for a competent hand sewer. But a sewing machine should NOT be used under any circumstances! You will need to follow Bradfield's sketches to make a 'true' finish, and have a basic understanding of a late 18

From open robe to round gown? Late 18th Century dress in transition. Part 1

From open robe to round gown? Late 18th Century dress in transition. Part 1

Dear Readers, We are about to embark on another adventure, this time examining a late 18th Century dress that appears to have been in the process of alteration, when it was stored away for around 220 years. The dress, shown above, has no horrid different colour stitching, no Victorian amendments, no 'fancy dress' evidence. It has been frozen in time since the 1790's. The gorgeous cream self-stripe silk has no splits or holes, and is covered in tiny, regular flowers, completel

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