A Magic Find From The Antique Mall...Edwardian Mourning Bodice!
Like anyone who is super into gothy Victorian stuff...I know mourning crepe when I see it, I just don't expect to see it at my local antique mall. Beside the thousands of teacups and repainted shabby chic furniture, I don't normally spot genuine vintage clothing, let alone antique clothing. This bodice was hanging innocently enough amongst some vintage cotton eyelet christening gowns, and at first I thought "surely this is a costume piece?"
Because the condition is just that good. Mourning for a year to six months? Well, this gal wore this once, for an hour, if that. I wish I knew the story here! The tag said it was found in an estate in Gypsum Colorado but sadly that's all I'll ever know. Did they remarry quickly? Did they leave town? Was black just not their color? Was this bought in anticipation of a death that then didn't happen? This was a nice silk bodice?! That's an expensive bodice to wear once.
Fine fashions even here in the old west. And yes, I do wish this would fit me for just one photoshoot 😅 Alas she will be preserved and cherished instead!
Comments (48)
What a lovely acquisition. Truly drool-worthy. 🥰
That was amazing! Thanks for sharing
that is truly just amazing!
Oh what a find!! Wow!! Glad you have a good eye! I would probably have thought it was a remake, not knowing how mourning crepe feels. I'm looking forward to discovering more about this piece and will be taking lots of notes when you remake this. Now that I have my bodice block done 🤓 Sending best wishes from Down Under 💚💚🇦🇺😎
Thank you Rhonda!
So beautiful! What a treat to see!
Wow! What a find! Can't wait for the more in-depth video but thanks for the sneak peek!
Absolutely beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with us!
I agree with penny! also you described how real morning crepe feels but I was wondering how/where did you learn what it feels like to reconize it later???
I have worked in two historic costume collections before is all, the Avenir Museum at Colorado State University, and at the Denver Art Museum as an intern, so I have worked with mourning items before. I did a graduate level class on museum work my last year at CSU and was able to spend 4-5 hours a week in the collection there helping to pack it up away before their renovation and expansion the next year after I left. That was back in 2013 ✨
This is an incredible find! I wonder if there's a way to reach out to Bernadette Banner. This might be a really good opportunity for a collab.
Yep, and Abby Cox too.
Hi, Thank you so much for sharing. Is this what they call dead stock? I'm sorry is that tasteless? It's a bit late and I'm a bit silly, and couldn't resist. It's absolutely stunning, and I understand your amazement. I've seen some of Abby Cox's and Lady Rebecca's Fashion's collection pieces, and nothing that they have shown is anywhere near as good as this. I'm so glad that you happened to stop by and rescue this lovely bodice. Even the sound when you touch the fabric is fantastic, and not even close to something I've ever heard. If the price of it is a hardship (not that I think it is) let me know and I'll gladly donate, no strings attached. I'm looking forward to seeing more of it when you're ready. I wonder where the skirt is? An evocative thought. Anyway, congratulations on the find of the year. If you better this, this panini year, then you're truly a wonder. Yours, Ann
Thanks Ann! I may go back to that antique shop and ask if the seller has any more information on the estate it came from!
thats a glorious piece!!! congrats on finding it.
Thanks Niccy!
Gorgeous piece, and what luck to find it! Well done. I'd love to see a recreation as well. Looking forward to the in-depth video. And I just wanted to say I really appreciate your pattern drafting and sewing videos, and thank you for them.
Thank you Karoline!
If the museum is interested, they will probably look at threads/fibers under a microscope and other areas in an attempt to find out if it is actually vintage. Also, they may find some other detail that tells the story of how old it is. Amazing find!! I was ooing and aaaaaahing over here! LOL! Again, that bodice is amazing!! How lucky are you!! Congrats!
Thanks Peggy!
What a superb find. I think we’d all have been angry at you if you hadn’t bought it! Some petite girl would wear it for Halloween and then throw it in the washing machine and dryer or something equally horrific like that might have happened to it. Oh to have the skills and patience to sew something like that. Looking forward to seeing more about it.
Not the dreaded school theater or Halloween fate! I just couldn't leave it behind 🖤
This was my eye candy for the day, oh my, it is beautiful and pristine and I am ever so happy that, of all the people who could've taken it home, it was you. That bodice is probably saying to herself, "oh happy day, I have someone to love and take care of me!" As I watched this, I began to get kind of obsessed with the story behind the bodice and who could have worn it. I'll never know, but I did have a pile of fun just now, looking thru the website of the Eagle Valley Library District. They have a Local Digital Archive and, within that, an Image database into which I searched for Women. All sorts of amazing pictures came up! I was looking for "petite" ladies from 1900-10 and found some beautiful clothes. Here is a link of the Women they have photos for: https://evld.marmot.org/Archive/Results?lookfor=&type=IslandoraKeyword&islandoraType=IslandoraKeyword&filter[]=mods_genre_s%3A%22Image%22&filter[]=mods_subject_topic_ms%3A%22Women%22&sort=relevance&page=1&view=list&searchSource=islandora Perhaps one of them was the owner. I really liked #1, 14, 23, 37, 43, 58, 60, 66, 77, 88, 93, 136 and these ones are adorable, too, #61 and 96. I also was looking up some history on Gypsum (I so enjoy this kind of thing) and on that same site learned that there were some affluent families in the town back at the turn of the century. This lady, Urdine Bell Messersmith Lea is so beautiful and I could totally imagine her in that bodice you found. This is her: https://evld.marmot.org/Archive/evld%3A646/LargeImage?searchId=130029938&recordIndex=12&page=3 I so wish I could talk to these ladies, I almost feel I can. There was the Doll Brothers family who ran horses and racetracks in the area, also a Fannie Morgan who owned "Serve U" Dress Shop as well as Mae Abrams Fleming, whose rich husband died and left her very wealthy. This is all Gypson Edwardian era info that I managed to find. Maybe the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame might have information on the background of the piece. I see, too, that the "Heroine of the Titanic" the unsinkable Molly Brown was of that era and lived in Denver. I didn't know there's a museum house devoted to her. Wouldn't it be cool if the bodice was hers? My imagination is running wild. Thanks again for sharing with us!
The Molly Brown House Museum is excellent, so very Victorian with a darkly decadent interior! There is another house museum nearer the Denver Art Museum here too called the Byers Evans House which is also an excellent visit and was home to more inspiring women as well. I'll definitely have to explore these links! I will actually have to drive through Gypsum on my way out west when I set out on my trip, though currently that route is blocked, as the main interstate highway through the Rockies is closed for over 40 miles currently due to mud/rock slide damage! So as long as that is cleared up in the next month, then I will pass through eek! Thank you Penny!
I think when we find pieces like this, we are meant to hold them in stasis until they find their forever homes. We are the ones with the eyes to see, and the education to know what we are looking at. There have been 6 historic pieces I bought just to keep them intact before they meet their forever homes. I have vowed I won’t collect them, as I only collect what I can wear, but if it is a garage or estate sale and they look like they will end up at Goodwill, then I grab them. I’ve never recorded them though. So thank you. From now on I will record them.
I will have to find a museum that may want it, perhaps the Avenir Museum up at Colorado State University, as they have a proper textile storage facility. I can document it, make a deep dive video for all of us, and donate it if they are interested. I know sadly the Denver Art Museum has mostly deaccessioned a lot of their fashion collection, but the Colorado History Museum is another option too. Mourning tends to be a bit extra fascinating to people, so hopefully this bodice will be taken care of somewhere!
Ooooo, make a matching skirt for it! Especially if you do a remake of it.
I wish I could, but this kind of crepe is quite impossible to find! Coordinating maybe, but matching alas not! It feels very papery almost, and has such a distinct look and texture to the hand in person.
thanks for sharing, beautiful piece.
Sigh….If only clothes could talk to you…its a beautiful find and meant to be yours!
Thanks Margo!
Oh my God Bianca, this is right up my alley and I want it so baaadd!! A more in-depth video sounds great, and the idea of you possibly making some turn-of-the-century mourningwear in the future gives me life.
Utterly stunning! Ive been in awe by some of the mint condition stuff Paula finds (witchyvintage) so to see something like this as happenstance is incredible and you definitely got it for a steal!
I couldn't just leave it behind! I was out with a friend who also sews and we were investigating it immediately 😅🖤
Beautiful. Such incredible skill making that.
That's stunning!
What a great find! I like the look of edwardian clothing, especially the women's suiting, but I just don't think it would fit into my everyday wardrobe.
I don't do Edwardian for everyday either, though goodness is that the trend right now! It is beautiful, but my heart beat 1940's fashion hardest of all 🖤
It's like a slightly belated birthday gift from the universe! You can't pass that up. That's one of the best parts of going thrifting/antiquing, finding the hidden gems.
That particular antique mall always seems to have a surprise for me these days!
This is exactly the kind of thing I needed to see before a rather stressful strategic planning meeting coming up. Can’t wait to have a look later. What a find!
I hope the meeting goes well!
I guess it's time to buy more acid-free storage! You can never have too much acid-free tissue paper 😆
Catch me at the container store shortly for another blue box...❤
Amazing find! I've never seen a piece of antique dress in that nice of condition and I've worked with museum pieces!
I was legit stumped because I couldn't believe it there was /no/ shattering! Absolutely museum level condition, they must of had it in a nice trunk forgotten about for 100 years? Wild
Maybe THEY died before they could wear it … it’s a beautiful piece! Good catch
Ah true! It's so "new" it is almost spooky!