Blouse - 1870s French Embossed Silk

$1,386.00
sold out

Couture antique French silk, c. 1870 melds perfectly with Takase pearl buttons from Occupied Japan. Buttons and fabric made 70 years apart fit so well together they could be made for one another. This shirt features an elegant lining designed to provide extra coverage over the bust. This piece can easily attend a black tie event and be the center of conversation.

Fabric

French embossed silk c. 1870. Cream ivory colored. Luminescent. The embossing on the shirt resembles delicate oval leaves on a stem and gives it a gorgeous 3-D texture. This elegant silk was sourced from an antique textile collector. The narrow width of the fabric — less than 22” — is indicative of its antique status. The fine embossing, stunning quality, and durability of this silk indicate that it is likely from France, likely Lyons. By the end of the nineteenth century, Lyons was the silk capital of the world, owing to government investments by the court of Louis XIV, whose ambition it was to have a glittering court at Versailles.

Buttons

These mother of pearl buttons were made in Japan between 1945 (the end of World War II) and 1952, a period in which Allied Forces occupied the country. The buttons are made from “Takase” shell, considered the most beautiful but the most difficult and expensive shell to work with in order to make mother of pearl buttons.

Sizing Details

This blouse is a Medium, which means it is designed to accommodate U.S. sizes 2 through 8. View our detailed size chart and int'l sizes here. The measurements of this specific garment accommodate a bust of up to 38" and a waist of up to 35.5". It is 24.5" long in the front.

Couture antique French silk, c. 1870 melds perfectly with Takase pearl buttons from Occupied Japan. Buttons and fabric made 70 years apart fit so well together they could be made for one another. This shirt features an elegant lining designed to provide extra coverage over the bust. This piece can easily attend a black tie event and be the center of conversation.

Fabric

French embossed silk c. 1870. Cream ivory colored. Luminescent. The embossing on the shirt resembles delicate oval leaves on a stem and gives it a gorgeous 3-D texture. This elegant silk was sourced from an antique textile collector. The narrow width of the fabric — less than 22” — is indicative of its antique status. The fine embossing, stunning quality, and durability of this silk indicate that it is likely from France, likely Lyons. By the end of the nineteenth century, Lyons was the silk capital of the world, owing to government investments by the court of Louis XIV, whose ambition it was to have a glittering court at Versailles.

Buttons

These mother of pearl buttons were made in Japan between 1945 (the end of World War II) and 1952, a period in which Allied Forces occupied the country. The buttons are made from “Takase” shell, considered the most beautiful but the most difficult and expensive shell to work with in order to make mother of pearl buttons.

Sizing Details

This blouse is a Medium, which means it is designed to accommodate U.S. sizes 2 through 8. View our detailed size chart and int'l sizes here. The measurements of this specific garment accommodate a bust of up to 38" and a waist of up to 35.5". It is 24.5" long in the front.

ABOUT THIS PIECE

1870 French silk & 1950s Japanese Takase pearl buttons.

 
 

Luminescent, lightweight cream silk pairs with reflective natural mother of pearl in a stunning silk blouse perfect for formal attire.

Designed & made in Houston, Texas

 
 
 
 
 
 
Blouse - 19th C. American Silk Cotton Blouse - 19th C. American Silk Cotton
Blouse - 19th C. American Silk Cotton
$1,386.00

American cotton, 19th C., elegantly paired with blue-green American mother of pearl c. 1920-40. The pattern is an abstract leaf print that is so modern it's hard to believe it was printed 120 years ago. This piece is ideal for day, and can be worn to work under a blazer or with a high-waisted skirt, and for cocktails with a sparkling earring to bring out the luminscence of this finely woven fabric.

Fabric

Purple silk cotton from the 1800s, which was found in excellent condition in a building in north Philadelphia (on Frankford Avenue just south of Lehigh), wrapped in late 19th century newspapers, from an old seamstress’ shop.

Buttons

Blue-green dyed mother of pearl buttons made from shells mined from the Mississippi River out of Washington, Iowa between the 1920s and 40s. America — Muscatine, Iowa in particular — was the pearl button capital of the world until the 1950s. Shells were mined right out of the Mississippi River. Called “toe digging”, everyday men and women could go down to the river, wade around, gather shells and take them to the manufacturer for payment. The industry died with the technological innovation of plastic.

Sizing Details

This blouse is a Medium, which means it is designed to accommodate U.S. sizes 2 through 8. View our detailed size chart and int'l sizes here. The measurements of this specific garment accommodate a bust of up to 40” and a waist of up to 35”. It is 25” long in the front and 26” long in the back.