10 results for month: 04/2013
Discoveries in Cataloging: Opening the Big Trunk 21
Another of the Kathleen Kennedy collection.Here we have a black wool crepe, close fitting coat dress with a black crepe lining, princess seaming, two front seam pockets, shoulder pads and pleated shoulder, fold-back collar, and three one-inch button front closure. There is no label in this dress. This is a very smartly tailored dress. I admire Mrs. Kennedy’s sense
of style.
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Discoveries in Cataloging: Opening the Big Trunk 20
Continuing with the Kathleen Kennedy collection. This is a
beautiful grey linen coat-dress with peach silk lining, short cuffed dolman
sleeves, fitted bodice, front-pleated skirt.
It has twelve, self-covered button front closure (one button missing,
also missing belt), a 1-inch stand-up collar, and keyhole front. The dress is 46" back length from base
of collar to hem. The label is from,
Jack Huston, California.
I wasn't able
to find anything on a search of the label.
It’s a very stylish, up-scale, business or afternoon organizing
committee dress. I would guess it’s from
the late 1950s or ...
Discoveries in Cataloging: Opening the Big Trunk 19
We jump to the
1950’s, and a piece from the Kathleen Kennedy collection. This is a navy blue, faille taffeta, 3/4 cuff
sleeves, unlined, calf-length flared coat.
The coat closes with a single hidden hook-eye at the neck. It has a 1.25" Mandarin collar, dolmen sleeves, and two front angled welt pockets.
Label: Sunkissed, made in California, Frederick
& Nelson, Seattle. Back length,
42.5" from back of collar to hem.
Kathleen Kennedy and her husband lived on 6th
Street at J, across from Sutton Park. I didn't know Mrs. Kennedy, but it is clear from the collection of clothes she left to ...
Discoveries in Cataloging: Opening the Big Trunk 18
Next to the 1884 “Second Day” outfit, this is my favorite
discovery. It is a jewel of a 1920’s
flapper dress!
The black-on-black, scoop-necked, beaded silk dress is calf-length with a beaded
overdress that has a zig-zag hem. The under dress of silk has sheer front and back bodice panels to the hip; the front
bodice panel has a center 6-snap closure.
Top side panels of crepe form the shoulder, ¾-length sleeve, and visible
side sections. A satin a-line underskirt
attaches at the hip down to a deep hem which shows beneath the overdress.
The beaded overdress is jumper-like; attached to the
under dress at the ...
Discoveries in Cataloging: Opening the Big Trunk 17
At last, a dress with a label!
It has no catalog number, so we don’t know
the owner or to what event she wore this dress.
The dress is floor-length of black crepe with white beads and
rhinestones decorated the bodice. It has
a round neck, shoulder pads, and short sleeves.
A semi-detached cummerbund helps to fit the dress at the hip, it has three
small self-fabric covered buttons to close it.
The shirt flares wide. It would
give an elegant flow when walking or dancing.
A back zipper goes from just below the hip up to mid-back,
there is a 6” gap between the zipper and the 4 self-covered ...
Discoveries in Cataloging: Opening the Big Trunk 16
Another mystery wrap is pulled from the trunk. We have a navy blue, crushed velvet, bat-wing
cape with a blue satin lining. It may be
handmade. There is no label.
The cape has a small, stand-up collar. The front sections are long and have welt
pockets. There are arm loops on the
underside to help keep it on the wearer.
The back is shorter with a rounded hem.
There appears to be a adhesive patch on the inside which may
mean this cape was cataloged at one time.
I have looked through the old catalog book, but can’t find anything that comes
close to describing this, though most of the ...
Discoveries in Cataloging: Opening the Big Trunk 15
An unknown woman between 5’4” and 5’6” wore this handmade,
floor-length, black velvet dress with a sheer damask blouson front bodice. The sheer front has velvet roses over a black
lining. The sleeves are also in the sheer
fabric, they are close fitting with a 3-snap closure at the wrist. The back of the dress is of black velvet
which crosses over and closes with hook-and-eyes.
The dress has a cummerbund style waist piece. The long skirt
gathers slightly at the waist, it falls narrow and straight about two-thirds
down and then flares with gussets. I
think this is called a tulip skirt. The
total length of the ...
Discoveries in Cataloging: Opening the Big Trunk 14
Next out of the trunk is this exquisite black velvet coat
with fur collar and cuffs. It has a
brightly patterned red silk lining. I
believe it is calf length. There is
black cord patterned embroidery decoration at elbow and side patches. Left over right cross two-button
closure. No label.
My first guess would put the coat in the 1920’s. On the other hand, it is in such good
condition that I am skeptical. There is
a catalog number for a coat that has no description; the other clothes in that
donation are from the 1950’s. Research
anyone?
Help us properly care for and preserve ...
Discoveries in Cataloging: Opening the Big Trunk 13
Charles A. Ratcliffe came to Cheney in March 1884 to
represent the Frank Brother implements firm.
For those unfamiliar with Cheney history, Mr. Ratcliffe’s implement
business evolved to in a Ford automobile dealership which was a fixture of
Second Street in the downtown for over 100 years. The Ratcliffe family was certainly
influential in the development of Cheney, and Charles Ratcliffe served in the
state legislature in the early 1900s.
But back to our story……..
In 1884, he was engaged to marry Louise Anne Bressler of
Belleville, Illinois, but after seeing the primitive country here Charles wrote
a letter to his ...
Discoveries in Cataloging: Opening the Big Trunk 12
This must have been a fabulously beautiful handmade
iridescent two-tone purple silk robe with attached ruffle shawl collar. It has half-length kimono sleeves with two
rows of ruffles. There are two ties for
closing the robe with a button hole in one side of the robe front for one tie
to thread through. It has five rows of ruffles at bottom. The inside of the robe is purple, while
outside is a deep purple giving an over-all iridescent look as the fabric
moves. The robe is in very poor
condition as the silk fabric is shredding apart. One tie is detached. Even with careful handling, I can feel the
fabric tear ...