Marlborough Museum Collection of Textiles
Gown

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Record 49/334
Copyright Marlborough Museum - Marlborough Historical Society Inc
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Collection Vercoe
Date c.1880
Description Woman's two piece cream and brown striped taffeta day gown manufactured c.1880 in New Zealand. The original owner/wearer was Mrs. Daniel Draper (nee Sarah Annie Lea).

Annie Draper and her husband were host and hostess of the Royal Hotel in Grove Road, Blenheim during the time this dress was made and worn. It was also the time when Annie was bearing children (she eventually had 16) and the drawstring waist may have been designed to accommodate this.

The bodice is fastened down the front with 17 hooks and eyelet holes and is separate from the skirt. It is fully lined with light tan glazed cotton. There are 10 large covered brown silk buttons in front. The bodice is finished at the bottom edge of the sleeves and hem with a strip of brown satin. The bodice is finished at the hem with a 5cm bronze silk fringe. The 18cm cuffs are elaborately folded taffeta scallops edged with brown satin and accented with two large covered buttons. The dropped shoulder is piped with brown satin.

The skirt is elaborately trimmed with brown satin strips, kilt-pleated cream/brown taffeta and bronze/cream silk fringing. The two gores at the back give length (153 cm) and enable the skirt to be drawn up to form a large bustle at centre back. This portion of the gown is finished at the hem with deep folded pleats edged with the brown satin trim. There is a large satin bow that was donated with the gown which would have been used to accent this shape.

The gown has a drawstring waist which would be used to adjust the drape of the gown as it is attached leaving the centre front straight and gathering from each side of the hip to centre back. The skirt is fully lined with the same cotton as the bodice.

An undated unsigned note with the gown says, "This frock, striped brown taffeta, was made in about the 1880s by Mrs. Watson, dressmaker, Blenheim, for Grannie Annie Draper (Mrs. Daniel Draper, grandmother of Gladys Vercoe (Mrs. S.I. Vercoe). It was lent by the latter [Mrs. Gladys Vercoe] for a window display in a Picton shop for the Picton Borough Centennial in October 1976. It figures in many exhibitions of period costumes as a fine example of fashion and is greatly admired for its hand sewing and detailed workmanship."
Mrs. Watson, the dressmaker, was the grandmother of the Springcreek Rose Family.

Object ID 1998.029.0004
Object Name Gown
Other # T3035
People Draper, Sarah Annie (nee Lea)
Lea, Sarah Annie (later Draper)
Watson, Mrs.
Vercoe, Gladys (nee Denby)
Denby, Gladys (later Vercoe)
Vercoe, Selwyn I.
Draper, Daniel William
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Last modified on: December 19, 2014