Wedding dress
Category
Costume
Date
1913
Materials
Silk satin, silk damask, silk net, applique cotton lace, silk ribbon, wax, glazed cotton twill, boning, hooks.
Measurements
1460 x 380 mm
Place of origin
Coleraine
Collection
Springhill, County Londonderry
NT 604721.1
Summary
A woman's wedding dress made from cream silk satin. The three-quarter sleeved dress is trimmed on the cuffs with applique cream cotton lace and pleated silk net, with a high boned collar and bib made from matching pleated silk net, applique lace and French knot detail. The shoulders are tucked, with knots and applique lace both front and back and the bodice front has a central insert of silk damask in a floral pattern. The skirt front is split on the left side, with a matching insert of floral silk damask, French knots, a large flower made from cream silk satin and an applique trim of orange blossom in wax. The dress has an integral belt at waist level made from pleated silk satin, with a covered oval buckle centre back. It is fully lined in white glazed cotton twill, with two boning strips and a combination of hooks & eyes and press studs for fastening centre back, intact. A maker's stamp on the inner waist tie of the dress reads, "Miss Clarke. Costumes and Mantles. Coleraine".
Provenance
Gift of Mrs Parry. Worn by Mary Prudence Hanna on 18.9.1913 when marrying Archibald McCormac (she was employed by Clarkes of Upperlands).
Marks and inscriptions
Stamped in gold on integral inner waistband, bodice.: A maker's stamp on the inner waist tie of the dress reads, "Miss Clarke. Costumes and Mantles. Coleraine". See associated photograph for further details.