Ball Gown Front View

Gown: Ball gown of pink silk jacquard taffeta and plain taffeta, consisting of (A) bodice and (B) skirt;
(A) Bodice with faux stomacher and short sleeves in pink taffeta and pink jacquard taffeta with rose motif; neckline in handmade lace with vine motif on netting; faux stomacher in white tulle overlay applied to white silk taffeta; five rows of ruching with pinked edges in V shape at center front; ruching extends along back neckline, shoulders, and comes to point at center front hem of bodice; pink jacquard under ruching has pinked scalloped edge; self-piping at neckline follows edge of faux stomacher; pink taffeta puff at sleeve; pink damask ruffle below puff with pinked scalloped edge; tulle at sleeve opening gathered to edge; eyelets at center back for lacing; round baleen boning at center back; two pink thread-covered buttons at center back with loop closure; two small white buttons with loop closure at center back lace neckline; lined in white silk taffeta; baleen boning in white casing at center front, stomacher sides and side seams; gauze at sleeve lining; white muslin petersham attached at center front waist level with two hooks-and-eyes at center back.
(B) Skirt in pink taffeta and pink jacquard taffeta with rose motif in three layers; upper third of skirt in pink taffeta; skirt pleated at front; cartridge pleats at center back; pink taffeta ruching with pinked scalloped edges below pink taffeta; bottom two thirds of skirt in three layers of pink jacquard taffeta with pinked scalloped edges; waistband in white silk taffeta; hook-and-eye closure at center back waist; gauze at hem.
Label: none
Date: 1854-1856

Headdress: Woman's floral ball headdress of silver paper and tinsel on circular wire support; oak leaves, small leaves and flowers with tinsel centers; center front portion is standing with large flower at center surrounded by standing leaves and standing flowers; all elements are wired.
Label: none
Date: 1855-1865