Picture of the Month

June

 

I'm sorry I've let you wait for so long. I simply didn't have the time.

 

Stockings and Garters, 1770s (Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, München)

The Bavarian National Museum allegedly owns quite a lot of textiles, but for want of space and funding, nothing was on display except for the Lauingen ganments. Last week, however, I found that they now have a small exhibit of fashion items, mostly from the 18th century. I don't know whether it's permantent, though.

The above stockings and garters are part of a display of a lady's morning toilette. The stockings are not exactly dated, but probably 1770s. They are machine-knit silk, very fine, and embroidered tone-in-tone. As far as can be judged in the muted light, they are a pale peach colour.

The garters are dated (by the museum) to around 1775. They are made of silk painted with idyllic scenes, simliar to what you'd find on fans. The colours either have faded or were very pale to begin with. There is a border all around the main part that looks like chain stitch. The ends are made like those of suspenders of the time, i.e. metal springs inserted into parallel fabric tunnels. They are closed with metal clasps. The opposite halves of the clasps, are unfortunately not visible, but judging from the small knobs on the visible ones, they must have holes that the knobs are pressed into - like early snaps.

There's a more detailed pic of the tunnels, clasps and embroidery in the database.

 

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