Darien Historical Society: Collections: Quilts and Antique Costumes and Accessories including Shoes, Hats, Fans, and Paisley Shawls Dating from Mid 19th Century to 1935

Costume Collection

Antique costumes represent the largest collection in the Darien Historical Society: over 1500 costumes and accessories of men, women and children including shoes, hats, fans and paisley shawls dating from the mid 18th Century to 1935. Many of these artifacts have been gifts from local donors over the past 30 years.
          The Display Case is used to exhibit selections from the Darien Historical Society's collection of over 1500 antique costumes and accessories of men, women and children including shoes, hats, fans and paisley shawls dating from the mid 18th Century to 1935, many of which have been gifts from local donors over the past 30 years.

Choose which Former Display in the Costume Collection Display Case you would like to see:


Click on a tiny picture below: (Click on the back arrow at top to return to top.)

From the Costume Collection: An 1832 Portrait Comes to Life

1809

 From the Costume Collection: An 1832 Portrait Comes to Life

1832

1857

 From the Costume Collection: Victorian Children's Christmas

1870

 From the Costume Collection: A Bride of the Gilded Age

1883

 From the Costume Collection:

1910

 From the Costume Collection:

1930

 From the Costume Collection:

1930



A Napoleonic Treasure: Our Second Oldest Dress


Right: Radical fashions emanating from Post-Revolutionary Paris required a boldness of spirit. Women abandoned corsets, panniers and petticoats in favor of seductively simple dresses based on classical Grecian line. Bare arms, aritficially high bosoms, semi-sheer fabrics in winter weather demonstrated a high degree of devotion to fashion that many women found scandalous and improper.

Circulation of several French and English fashion periodicals, however, enabled American women to dress in the latest modes. Dolley Madison who became First Lady in 1809 was an enthusiastic follower of Paris fashion and imported many gowns, persuading ambassadors and other influential Americans to bring them back for her. In 1803 Elizabeth Patterson of Baltimore married Jerome Napoleon(Napoleon's younger brother) who ordered a Parisian trousseau for his bride inspired by designs made for Empress-to-be Josephine.


From the Costume Collection:

Accessories from the Costume Collection: Dress: Fine White muslin imported from India. The tiny floral motif is achieved by the Tambour technique. C. 1805-07. This is the second oldest dress in the Historical Society's collection.
Donor: Mrs. Thomas Carroll.

Corset: Ecru cotton, loose high-waisted support, back lacing..       From the Society's House collection - Early 19th Century.


Fan: Incised ivory sticks, aqua leaves picturing dancers. C. 1839.
Donor: Mrs. Charles Safford.

Reticule: Beaded, with drawstring chain, "Buta"(Indian) motif. In the early 19C., dresses did not have pockets. Ladies carried these small bags to hold scent bottles, handkerchiefs, fans.

Miser's purse: Orange knit, cut steel trim. This hand-held purse was used to carry coins.

Book: Red leather "Lady's Companion" dated 1804.

Shawl on stand: Handwoven Kashmir shawl with woven and embroidered border. Kashmir shawls had been worn by men for several centuries. It was not until the late 18 C. that they became fashionable for European women. The fleece of the wild Indian mountain Goat, which was the softest in the world, was unsuccessfully imported by British and French manugacturers. Nevertheless, they produced handsome paisley-type shawls up to the 1870's.
Lent by Mrs. R. O. White.

Print on Floor: Hand colored, French, Early 19 C.
Lent by Mrs. Theodore Helms.


Bonnet: Ecru silk shaped by wires held by tiny stitches. Floral trim. C. 1810.

Shoes: Ecru satin, ribbon ties. Label: P. Laboyteaux, New York.
      In the early 19C. left and right shoes were shaped the same and were called "Straights."

Shawl(on figure): Handwoven ecru kashmir with embroidered border, but with a motif and weaver's mark at corners. Early 19C.
      Worn with the thinnest fabrics, a shawl was a very popular and essential fashion accessory.

Two English prints: by Deighton, 1804 and 1808.
Lent by Mrs. R.O. White.

Display by Babs White and Susan Helms.




The 1930's: A World of Glamour and Makebelieve


The 1920's and 30's were two decades of great style! Art Deco design, with its sharp-edged modernity, was the dominant thread which trailed through both, changing as a decade abandoned one silhouette and took up another. Gaiety and youthfulness of the Flapper Age disappeared. Instead there arose a well-crafted elegance - a sedate return to natural lines and sober sensibilities. The Great Depression of the 30's with its miserable realities presented a challenge to Hollywood: provide an escape to the World of Glamour and Makebelieve; and so it did, presenting stars such as Jean Harlow, Norma Shearer, Greta Garbo, Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell; also "The Golddiggers" of 1932 and 1933 with Will Rogers.


From the Costume Collection:


Evening Dress - Blue crushed silk velvet, bias cut, self cape, sleeves.
Gift of Mrs. Walter Seibert

Evening Bag - Blue irridescent channel beads, metal frame
Pearl Drop Earrings
Lent by Avery Flowers

Period Rhinestone and Pearl Brooch
Gift of Mrs. Donald Fernow

Evening Dress - Platinum silk satin, bias cut, low cut back accented by rhinestone clips
Gift of Mrs. Walter Seibert

Rhinestone Necklace, Earrings and Bracelet
Lent by Susan Helms

Evening Bag - Silver and gold beads, metal frame

Man's Opera Hat - Black silk faille. Label: Scott & Co., London
Gift of Mrs. John Sheppard


Man's Silver Topped Walking Stick
Gift of Mrs. James MacGregor

Flask - Hammered silver
Gift of Mrs. Carole Johnson

Evening Bag - Black and white checkerboard bead design
Gift of Mrs. Patricia Wall

Evening Gloves - Platinum satin, shirred sleeves
Gift of Mrs. Elsie Wheeler

Cigarette Holder - Black plastic, rhinestone trim
Lent by Susan Helms


Posters Courtesy of Venice Simplon Orient Express Co.
The elegant Art Deco style passenger cars have been restored and the legendary Orient Express continues to operate today.


Display by Babs White and Susan Helms.

 From the Costume Collection:




Summer Pleasures

In the years leading up to World War I, fashion followed a liberating trend. The tightly corseted S-curve was abandoned in favor of a relaxed natural look. The slightly shortened "Empire" waistline had the effect of narrowing the hips. Dresses no longer had high collars, but had instead a "V-neck" or rounded neckline; skirts were shorter. Women bobbed their hair after the fashion of Irene Castle. Irene and Vernon Castle led the nation with ragtime tunes and dances like "The Turkey Trot", "Bunny Hug" and "New Orleans Wiggle."

Dress - White cotton lawn with lace, embroidery, crocheted neckline and buttons. Sheer cotton summer dresses were lavished with lace inserts and other handwork and were called "Lingerie dresses."
Gift of Mrs. Joan Mary Rasmussen

Hat - Natural straw, multicolored field of flowers.
Gift of Mrs. Stuart Upson

Shoes - White kid lacers, Louis heel
Gift of Margaret Tweedy

Handbag - Beige leather, petit point motif, silver frame and chain
Gift of Mrs. Ruth Stone

English bone china teacup and saucer
Lent by Mrs. Anne Carnahan

Parasol - Aqua silk with black and white picot ribbon trim

 From the Costume Collection:



A Bride of the Gilded Age


Right: This is a bride of the Gilded Age -- an untroubled period of diverting pastimes and pleasures, ostentation and extravagance.

As a little girl, she probably played with her bridal doll and dreamt of her wedding day -- her special day -- when she would be the focus of all in this magnificent dress. There would be a grand reception attended by the most notable of her family's friends.

She and her husband would then sail for an extended honeymoon in Europe -- with ample time for the bride to order couture in Paris and for her husband to be fitted for his clothes in London.

Once back in the United States, husband and wife would "set up housekeeping." They would follow many Victorian rituals including the exchange of calling cards and announcements of the days the bride would be "at home" to receive guests.

From the Costume Collection: A Bride of the Gilded Age

Wedding Dress:
Ecru silk satin bodice, overskirt, bustle and train.Undershirt and bodice rimmed with pearls and crystal beads. Original illusion veil (Tiara headpiece added) c. 1883.
Worn by Wealthy Albro at her marriage to Richard Lewis in New York City.
Gift of her granddaughter, Mrs. Samuel F. Peirce.

Fans:
(Left) Satin leaf with lace overlay, mother of pearl sticks, small cartouche, late 19C.


Two Fans:
(Right) Sheer fabric leaves with paillettes, mother of pearl sticks. Late 19C.
Lent by Mrs. Joseph J. Steuert.

Bridal Bouquet:
Dried Rose, Lily of the Valley, Fern.
Many thanks to two members of the Garden Club of Darien: Mrs. Sadie Colligan Sammis who dried the delicate flowers. Mrs. Tibby Rosenberry who designed the elegant bouquet. Mrs. Stuart Upson and Mrs. Robert O. White who generously donated the flowers from their gardens.


Display by Babs White and Susan Helms.

An 1832 Portrait Comes to Life

From the Costume Collection: An 1832 Portrait Comes to Life

Left: The Historical Society is indeed fortunate to be able to display a portrait belonging to the family of Mrs. Charles Goodyear of Darien.

The portrait, painted in 1832, shows Mrs. Goodyear's great grandmother, Frances Charlotte Adam, at age 2, and her brother Robert, at age 7. They lived in "The Old Lawrence House" (1751) still owned by Mrs. Goodyear's family and now the oldest house in Canaan, Connecticut.

It is of particular interest that the family still holds the original doll, dress, hat and shoes shown in the portrait (possibly painted by itinerant artist, Ambrose Andrews) and displayed here.

What an unusual chance for us to display an early nineteenth century portrait plus the actual artifacts shown in the painting. We salute Mrs. Goodyear and her family with this exhibit. It is indeed a special opportunity fo show one family's devotion to the importance of antecedents and heritage. We applaud their careful research, conservation and documentation celebrating the Lawrence family's history of over 200 years.


Original Dress:
Pink cotton plaid, typical low cut neckline, tiny puffed sleeves, blue ribbon trim.

Original Shoes:
Medium blue fabric, lacer style, leather sole.



Original Hat:
Light blue tucked silk fabric, self-streamers.

Original Doll:
Early wooden doll, papier-mâché head; green silk dress; C. 1830.

The Darien Historical Society is grateful to Mrs. Charles Goodyear for lending the portrait and the original artifacts shown in the painting.

Early 19th century books:
From the Collection of the Darien Historical Society

Display by Babs White, Susan Helms, Nancy Schultz and Brian Peoples.

Victorian Children's Christmas

Right: The Victorians loved Christmas. We can credit them with developing Christmas traditions we enjoy today. They idealized images of ancient customs, descriptions by writers such as Clement Moore, Dickens, and Washington Irving. They were devoted parents and made sure that Christmas activities focused on the children.

In 1850, Godey's Lady's Book printed an engraving of Queen Victoria and her family with their Christmas Tree. This widely-circulated magazine inspired the Victorians to make the tree the centerpiece of their holiday.

Trees were placed on tabletops and were trimmed with tiny gifts, candy, nuts, strings of popcorn and homemade ornaments.

From the Costume Collection: Victorian Children's Christmas

By the late 19th century, the tree was moved from table to floor. Dressed in tinsel, garlands and commercial glass ornaments imported from Germany, a tall tree dominated the Christmas parlor to the delight of the whole family.

A young girl of the 1870's wore a scaled down replica of her mother's dress in the latest fashion. New machinery, capable of turning out elaborate garments at a fraction of the cost of hand sewing, made fashion available to the middle class.


Dress: Princess style. Pink checked silk. Elaborate trim of pink-edged loops, buttons and box-pleating at hemline. c. 1878.
          Gift of Mrs. Gemmil Jainschigg.

Two-piece Dress: Striped and chiné floral pink silk. Solid pink pleated ruffle on skirt and overskirt. c. 1876.
Gift of Mrs. Margaret Harrington, worn by "M.C.F. in 1876 at age eleven."

Mehreban Rug:
Lent by Tschebull antique Carpets, Darien.

Iron Toy: A horse-drawn cicus wagon, late 19th c.
Lent by Mrs. Frank Sprole.

Pair of child's pink leather button boots. Late 19th c.:
Label: Thayer, McNeil, Hodgkins, Boston

Doll, Bisque Head, Human Hair, dressed as "Little Red Riding Hood"
Lent by Mrs. Mary Green

Christmas Cards and Tags:
From the Collection of the Darien Historical Society


Display by Babs White and Susan Helms

Motherhood and the Godey's Lady's Book of 1857

The Godey's Lady's Book of 1857 contended that " Motherhood was the most beautiful aspect of the female character, providing fulfillment of a woman's physiological and moral destiny... cooking is the clearest extension of the mother's nurturing role. "

In addition to the daily routine of meal preparation, nearly all women did their own baking even if they had a domestic servant. It was an important measure of their domestic skill.


Description of items in case(right):
One piece maternity dress: green printed
cotton with panel and sleeve trim in
popular paisley patterned print.
C. 1862.
Gift of Gladys Skelton, Darien

19 Century Kitchen Equipment
From the Collection of Mrs. Gordon Hines,
Mrs. Ian Sidey, and the Darien Historical Society.



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Display by Babs White and Tia Sidey.                 

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Darien Historical Society
Judy Groppa, Executive Director
Susan Bhirud, Education Coordinator
Sheelagh Ryan, Office Manager
Telephone: (203) 655-9233