Black silk taffeta Victorian dress, entirely hand-sewn,  dating from late 1840s or early 1850s dress with capelet. This dress has several large splits throughout the skirt, the bodice area shows underarm repairs or reinforcements, some splits to the bias cut sleeves and shoulder area.

The bodice is decorated with delightful gathered ribbon or self-fabric that looks like frosting on a cake!  Nice tucks accent the front, which has three lines of piping for decoration, and on each side of the center there are matching fabric buttons.  The boat neckline is edged with ruffled white cotton net, as are the cuffs of each sleeve.  It is lined with brown cotton and has the padding to the bust area, a very typical feature of dresses of this era.  A hook & eye closure up the back, wide piping at the dropped, V shaped waistline, and thinner piping at the armscyes.  The bodice is boned with baleen.

The hem is lined with brown polished cotton which is then edged with a wool type fabric.  The bottom of the skirt is also bound with hem tape. 

The matching berthe has three tucks of fabric and is lined in brown cotton.  It has some slight shattering across the back, but due to the lining it is well preserved.

Included is a note stating that this dress was owned by Mrs. James Upham, of Weston, Mass, & was meant to be given to her great granddaughter, Elizabeth Upham. Elizabeth might have lived in Lisbon Falls, Maine, though the note is not clear on this.

Though this dress is only in fair condition, it doesn't seem to have undergone any serious alterations (I did notice a snap closure has been added to the back of the skirt), & would be a good candidate for preservation/conservation and study.  It can be handled with care, so as not to cause further damage to the skirt.

Approximate measurements are given for reference only as this dress should never be worn, due to its fragility.

Bust:    30"

Waist:  24"