Bride in a Crinoline
This bride was sold at the 2010 Miniatures Auction in Somerset West, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, where she was purchased by Sue Farmer. It was very hard for me to let her go, but I know she has gone to a good home!
Her crinoline skirts reflects the fashions of the early 1860's, when crinolines were at their widest and before the bulk of the skirt moved towards the back, which eventually became the bustle skirt. This crinoline measures about 16cm from side to side and front to back!
The wedding dress is made of white china or habotai silk, which is finer and softer than dupion silk. The surface is smooth, with a lustrous sheen, which makes it very difficult to photograph!
The bottom of the skirt is trimmed with a wide band of embroidered lace, which has also been cut up and used to "embroider" the skirt panels and bodice. The lace has also been used to make the tiny, puffed sleeves. Cotton lace has been used to make her mittens.
She wears a pink "diamond" and "pearl" necklace; a wreath of pink Fimo roses with pearls and carries a bouquet of matching roses.
Under the dress, she wears authentic pantalets and a cage crinoline which was invented in order to reduce the number of petticoats a lady had to wear in order to hold out her skirts to the requisite width. A white batiste and lace petticoat is worn over the cage. Her "something blue" is a bow which trims the petticoat.
Please click on the thumbnails below to get a larger image.
Made in February 2010
Her crinoline skirts reflects the fashions of the early 1860's, when crinolines were at their widest and before the bulk of the skirt moved towards the back, which eventually became the bustle skirt. This crinoline measures about 16cm from side to side and front to back!
The wedding dress is made of white china or habotai silk, which is finer and softer than dupion silk. The surface is smooth, with a lustrous sheen, which makes it very difficult to photograph!
The bottom of the skirt is trimmed with a wide band of embroidered lace, which has also been cut up and used to "embroider" the skirt panels and bodice. The lace has also been used to make the tiny, puffed sleeves. Cotton lace has been used to make her mittens.
She wears a pink "diamond" and "pearl" necklace; a wreath of pink Fimo roses with pearls and carries a bouquet of matching roses.
Under the dress, she wears authentic pantalets and a cage crinoline which was invented in order to reduce the number of petticoats a lady had to wear in order to hold out her skirts to the requisite width. A white batiste and lace petticoat is worn over the cage. Her "something blue" is a bow which trims the petticoat.
Please click on the thumbnails below to get a larger image.
Made in February 2010