Mourning dress for a young child, ca. 1830
Item 105813 info
Maine Historical Society
According to "The Workwoman’s Guide by A Lady" published in London in 1838, which outlined various aspects of domestic life applicable to clothing and décor “Young persons, or those who are in mourning for young persons, frequently wear a good deal of white…very young children only wear white frocks [dresses] and black ribbons.”
The book was published about the same time this white cotton dress was made. Hand drawn ink work added the necessary black detail. The individual black ink work motifs are too detailed and dark to be embroidery transfers (tracing), but it is possible they were meant as future embroidery guidelines. The center cartridge pleats draw similarity between this piece and the mid-1830s dress on display in the Silhouettes in Sequence vignette nearby. However, this piece is not gender specific, despite the floral or lace components.
Item 2 of 19
