Black pigeon breast bodice with cording applique
date: label: Date
content: 1900s
name: label: Created by
content: Unidentified
label: Subject of
content: Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
notes: label: Description
content: A black pigeon breast blouse with black cotton cord applique. The blouse features a band collar made of one panel of black machine lace that has been stiffened with five whale bones (baleen.) The baleen bones have been machine stitched to the interior collar. The pigeon breast front is made from one panel of fabric, composed of pieced together open weave black silk chiffon and black floral machine lace.These panels have been handstitched together in an alternating pattern. The fabric is vertically pleated at the shoulders and the waist and tapers slightly inward at the center front hem. Black floral cotton cording is handstitched to the front bust, across the shoulders, continuing on to the back. The fabric is bast stitched along the waist and is covered by a panel of black pleated synthetic satin. Each sleeve is one panel of pieced together fabric that is seamed at the inner arm. A 4" shaping dart is sewn into each sleeve near the wrist and each wrist features a black machine lace cuff.
label: Description
content: The back of the machine lace collar closes with two sets of metal hooks and eyes. The back bodice consists of two panels of pieced together fabric made of open weave black silk chiffon and black floral machine lace handstitched together at right angles.These panels close at the center back with seven sets of black metal hooks and eyes. The bottom hem waistband closes at the proper right side with two small metal hooks and eyes. Beige silk taffeta lines the inside of the bodice – two panels for the front and two for the back. All have been machine stitched together and the seam allowances are finished by hand. Each sleeve is lined with one panel of beige of silk taffeta that is seamed at the inner arm. Eleven pieces of baleen are machine stitched along the interior bottom hem and covered in ribbed silk. A band of silk taffeta lining has been handstitched along the interior hem. Two slightly darker pieces of lining made from a silk satin cotton blend fabric are sewn to the top interior proper right and proper left at the center back seam. Previous repairs at the underarm have shattered lining. There is no label.
label: Cataloging Notes
content: This project received Federal support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Craftsmanship
label: Topic
content: Fashion
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: Black Fashion Museum Collection
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Fashion and Historical
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2007.3.650
objectType: label: Type
content: bodices
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: silk taffeta, silk satin, lace, cotton cording, silk chiffon, baleen, and metal
label: Dimensions
content: Length : (collar to hem) 22 1/2 in (57.2 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Width (shoulder to shoulder): 15 1/2 in 39.4 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Waist: (flat) 14 in. (35.6 cm)