Still selling miscellaneous items that came with fans and antique and vintage clothing ...

Antique Victorian Vintage White Cotton Dress Chemise / Slip dated to around 1871 - Belonged to Eliza Jane Buckland Studley (1845-1920) of Hill Farm, South Perrot, Misterton, Somerset 

What I really like about this chemise is the provenance that comes with it. It came together with a top hat (now sold) that bore the initials of H (ugh). S (Symes). Studley Esq. of Hill Farm, South Perrot, Misterton, Somerset and that also contained a letter (sold with the hat) to the same which had been kept under the sweatband. With this letter, dated 11 April 1912, from Toogood & Sons are trying very politely and very hard to sell seeds to farmer Studley, who is listed in the 1911 census as 61 years old, Farmer (Employer) with his wife Eliza Jane (nee Buckland, known simply as Jane)(see also the 1881 census). They had 9 children, 4 of whom had survived until 1911 at least. Hill Farm House survives to this day as a Grade II building which currently houses a B&B. Incidentally, nowadays, it is located in Dorset county; in 1911, it belonged to a postal district in Somerset. Hugh and Jane farmed 146 acres of land and employed several labourers and a maid. The top hat came with several garments, mostly nightgowns. This chemise bears Jane's initials (E J B) on the front (I also have one of her nightgowns where she had added the initial S after her marriage). She was born in 1845 in Misterton and it is likely that the land was her families, as Hugh was born in Broadwindsor. They married in 1871, when Hugh was 21 and Eliza Jane 26 years old (quite old for the Victorian age). She died in 1920. This chemise almost certainly formed part of her wedding trousseau. 

The chemise is made of cotton and has a typical cut of the 1860s and 1870s - it is an off-the-shoulder style. It was worn as underwear (see fashion plates for examples from Godey's dated 1871). The boat-shaped neckline, the sleeves ends and the front are embroidered by hand in the style of Broderie Anglaise. The sewing is very neat overall. The chemise reaches down to just below the knee - mid calf depending on the wearer's stature. It is somewhat too large for my modern Size S mannequin, so I think it would best fit a size M (UK12-14, EU 40-42, US 8-10). 

The chemise in very good wearable condition. I found one very small antique repair on the neckline (see photo). It is also in clean condition, but I found a few small spots/marks (see last photos), some of which may come out when laundered - I did not launder it myself, it is as found.

Please note that all my items will be shipped from the Republic of Ireland. Packaging and postage to the UK, France and Germany via Airmail will cost £7.90 (9.00 Euro), to the rest of Europe via Airmail £7.90 (9.00 Euro), overseas via Airmail £10.50 (ca. US$14).