#2177 $800
Infant's cotton print dress, c.1815-1820
This little dress has an endearing quality that speaks to us over time. It is the sort of dress that might have been worn by Anna Tuthill Harrison (b. 1813), the 4th daughter of William Henry Harrison (9th President of the U.S.)
The cotton dress is roller printed with a tiny calico print. The sleeves and hem are edged with Van Dyke points of plain ivory cotton. This is an enormous amount of work, since everything was sewn by hand. The fullness of the Empire bodice can be adjusted with the cords inserted into casings.
According to Linda Baumgarten in What Clothes Reveal, children's clothing kept up with, and sometimes led, fashion in the second half of the 18th century. The silhouette of the 1750s had a natural waistline; a cone-shaped torso; and three-quarter-length sleeves. This changed for both women and young girls over the next fifty years. By 1800 children's dresses had short sleeves and the high waistline typical of fashionable adult clothing in the early 19th century.
Keep in mind that museums place a high value on fine historic children's clothing. At the 9/03 Stair Galleries auction, a lovely child's dress was estimated to go for $500-$700. It went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for $4,600.
The condition is almost excellent. There are no problems other than very slight discoloration in the print.
It measures 18" chest and 28" from the shoulder to the hem.
