Dress (4694.1)

Child's drop-waisted dress of white cotton lawn embellished with tucks and machine-made whitework and eyelet embroidery. Narrow standing band collar, yoke with alternating vertical bands of tucks and embroidery. Ruffles at the shoulder above moderately full 3/4 sleeves with narrow cuff and scallop-edged embroidered ruffle. Shirred body of the dress, with the upper edge folded at the yoke to form a decorative ruffle. Embroidered waistband (matches yoke); gathered skirt of heavier cotton, made of a panel woven with deep band of embroidery along its edge. Embroidery in yoke/waistband, sleeves, and hem coordinate, with same style of filling stitches in similar but not exactly matching motifs. Center back opening with buttons hidden under strip of embroidery on yoke. Additional imitation pearl buttons continue down body of dress.

Provenance Narrative Both this dress and 4694.2 were said to have belonged to a child born in 1850. However, this date is too early for either dress, and the two dresses are from years apart, so they must have belonged to two different children. Research continues to try to identify the child named by the donor, who is believed to have lived in Ohio, which may lead to other family members of the right age to have worn the dresses.

Place Made United States, Possibly Ohio