Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Gown, Evening |
Date |
1869 |
Catalog Number |
84.27.1 A-B |
Year Range from |
1869 |
Description |
Lady's 2-piece dress worn by Ellen Wade Colfax to her husband's inauguration as VIce President of the United States, 1869. A. Bodice has cream silk sleeves with overlay of black net embroidered with jet beads. Top of bodice matches skirt with flocked artichokes. Faille covered buttons on front. Jet beads overlay bodice. B. Skirt of cream colored silk faille with an overskirt of black silk lace, trimmed in jet beads. Bustle trimmed with black flocked artichokes on net over black silk faille. |
Collection |
Colfax Collection |
Provenance |
Inauguration gown of Mrs. Schuyler (Ellen Wade) Colfax worn when her husband was inaugurated as vice president of the United States. The inauguration was held on March 4, 1869. Used in the "Century of Style" exhibition (1996) at the Northern Indiana Historical Society. The dress was given to the NIHS in the 1920s, by the Colfax family. Because of its popularity, it was on permanent display for many years. Around 1978, it was removed from display due to structural damage (a very common and non-preventable issue with silks from the Victorian Era). In 1996, the gown was able to be restored by Harold Mailand of Textile Conservation Services, in Indianapolis, IN. |
Credit line |
Gift of the Colfax Family |
People |
Colfax, Ellen Wade Colfax, Schuyler |