Back of Child’s Dress, c1895

This pale green child’s dress was worn by Marjorie Van Wickle when she was 12 years old.

The dress was made by B. Altman Co., New York. It has a high-waisted lined bodice with a center back opening that is trimmed with a matching satin ribbon sash at the waist and satin ribbon bows at the center back, center front, and left shoulder. A wide needle-lace Bertha collar is stitched to the rounded neckline, extending over the short, puffed velveteen sleeves. The knife-pleated silk crepe skirt is cut straight and tightly gathered to the bodice.

Marjorie wears this dress in a photograph taken with her father, Augustus Van Wickle, in 1895.  Click here to see the photo and to view other shots of this dress.

This dress was professionally conserved and exhibited at Blithewold in 2016. Conservation  techniques included gentle surface cleaning to remove scattered particulate matter and stitching treatments to stabilize the formerly weak and damaged areas of the garment.