History’s Runway: The Anna Maria Garthwaite Gown, 1740-1780

The Garthwaite Floral Gown
Silk Brocade on Satin, 1740-1780
This and all related images:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Designed by Anna Maria Garthwaite (born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, 1690, died in London, 1763) this elaborate gown was made in Spitalfields, London in the 1740s and altered in the 1780s

The gown has been altered into, at least, two different styles since it was originally crafted in silk in 1744. The value of the intricately made silk fabric made reusing it worthwhile--even 40 years later. The pattern of the silk is one that, even though it was the height of fashion in 1744, was still in style in 1780. Actually, the painted design for this silk (also by Anna Maria Garthwaite) is also in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum--dated April 22nd 1744.

Originally, based on the predominant styles of the 1740’s, this gown was most likely a “sack back” (a style with loose box pleats at the back to allow for a full display of the silk pattern). When first worked-up, the gown would have been open in the front, with folded-back robings and rectangular cuffs at each elbow.

Upon its alteration in the 1780s, the style of back became more fitted. Sadly, the alteration to the style of that time was sloppily executed. This suggests that the gown may have been handed down to a maid who reworked it for her own purposes.

A design of large sprays of flowers fill the width of the repeat of this masterpiece of brocaded colored silks on oyster-colored satin. The sprays of flowers are embellished by patterns of upward and downward trails of bright pink berries and rose buds. Other flowers in the brocade are roses, morning glory and auricula in shades of pink, fawn, lilac, white, black, blue, yellow, red, and a variety of greens.

Anna Maria Garthwaite received at least 40 commissions for silk designs from a Spitalfields master weaver called Mr. Gregory. According to the V&A, “There were a number of members of the Weavers' Company with the name Gregory.” In light of that, we do not know his exact identity. Still, the designs Garthwaite produced for this unknown Gregory are some of her most fashionable and attractive.

Unusual Artifacts: Parasol Fittings, 1900-1910

Parasol Handle
English, 1900-1910
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This gleaming handle is part of a set of parasol fittings which includes a handle of wood and gilt covers for the ends of the ribs which support the parasol’s fabric cover. The handle is fashioned of rock crystal which has been engraved with flowers and set with amethysts in gold collets. It is supported by a neck of gold with translucent purple enamel and an applied frieze of laurel swags and ribbon.


Though I can’t find a picture of it, the parasol is still kept in its original rectangular case of dark green leather that has been lined with cream velvet. On the lid of the case, a gold stamp bears the retailers mark: J.C. VICKERY/ 179, 181 & 183 REGENT ST.W.

Punch’s Cousin, Chapter 347

Julian tried to brush past Prince Albert and retreat from the elaborate hallucination into which the image of the Prince had led him.


“Where are you going, Your Grace?” The Prince smirked.

“I shall not watch this.” Julian shook his head.

“What could be the matter?” Prince Albert replied, pushing Julian back toward the scene of Nanny Rittenhouse, the child and the Duchess of Fallbridge. “You lived through the day once. It is, simply, daily nursery business, is it not? The child is being given a bath.”

“Is that what it is?” Julian growled. “Is it?”

“Isn’t it?” The Prince grinned.

“Watch, then!” Julian spat. “I shall stand with you. We shall see daily nursery business! We shall see, then, if this is what happens in the nurseries in the palace. Is this how your children were treated? Your eldest son? Tell me, then, as you watch, if this is how your son was bathed!”

“I will.” Albert nodded.

Julian watched as the specters of attendants whose names he’d long forgotten carried the bathtub into the nursery. The water steamed and spat as it was poured into the tub.

“Characterize the water for me, Your Majesty,” Julian challenged the prince.

“It appears angry.”

“It’s boiling!” Julian shouted. “Boiling!”

Julian flinched as he watched the image of his young self scream with terrible pain as he was lowered into the bubbling water.

“Clean the pig!” Nanny Rittenhouse laughed as she scrubbed at the boy’s pink, tender skin with a rough flannel.

“Make sure he’s very clean,” The Duchess cooed. “Very clean.”

“Well?” Julian turned to the prince defiantly.

“That was probably quite awful.”

“Probably?” Julian spat. “It was torture!”

“So, put a stop to it.” The prince challenged.

“How shall I put a stop to something that has already happened?”

“You cannot. That is true. However, you can keep it from playing out in your thoughts again and again forever.”

“I had not thought of this for years until you forced me to!” Julian argued. “It is not a thought that was repeated.”

“Wasn’t it?” Prince Albert clucked his tongue. “And what, do you think, fuels Scaramouche’s anger? No, you may not have recalled this personally, but someone did. One of you did, and has, over and over.”

Julian frowned.

“So, Your Grace, put an end to it.”

“How?” Julian snarled.

“Stop them. Walk over there and stop them.” The Prince pointed.

“They’re not real. This is a vision!” Julian snapped.

“And, presently, so are you.”

“Yes, Julian,” The image of the Duchess said, looking up. “You are the same as we are. Stop us, if you dare.”



Did you miss Chapters 1-346? If so, you can read them here.

Card of the Day: Bearing the Regalia from the Jerusalem Chamber

We seem to be stuck on the Jerusalem Chamber with these last few Churchman Cigarette Cards. This one, the twenty-fifth in the series, depicts the moment when the Regalia is carried from the Jerusalem Chamber into the Sanctuary.


This practice is nicely described in “The Annual Register or a View of the History, Politics and Literature of the Year 1825.”

On the arrival of their Majesties at the Abbey, at a quarter past eleven o'clock, they were received by the Great Officers of State and the Noblemen bearing the Regalia, and repaired to their robing-chambers without the west entrance. The Ladies of her Majesty's Household, the Officers of the Royal Household, and of the respective Households of the Princes and Princesses, as well as others who had formed part of the royal retinue from St. James's Palace, and to whom duties had not been assigned in the solemnity, passed immediately to the places prepared for them within the Choir.

This excerpt from 1825, however, does not refer to the more recent 1821 coronation, but rather to the coronation of King George III many years earlier.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Fashion Plate from 1860

Fashion Plate
French, 1860
Published in Britain by Samuel Beeton
The Victoria and Albert Museum

A fashion plate is essentially an illustration for a magazine which shows the latest fashion. In the Nineteenth Century, these were lithograph and were issued hand-colored.


This example comes from 1860 from a magazine published by Samuel Beeton (the husband of the celebrated cookery writer Mrs Beeton). Samuel Beeton was the first to include hand-colored fashion plates with his publications. These were created by artist Jules David. Beeton also included paper patterns with the fashion plates. This new phenomenon ensured that Beeton’s magazine would be successful with ladies who counted themselves amongst the increasing numbers of owners of the home sewing machines which had become widely available starting in the late 1850s.

The painter of this plate, Jules David, was a well-known book illustrator and lithographer, but was most famous for his fashion plates. Throughout his career, David produced almost 2,600 fashion plates which were published in the “Moniteur de la Mode.” David’s plates were unique in many ways, but especially for their use of contemporary backgrounds.

This plate depicts examples of the ball dresses which were becoming fashionable in France in 1860. France, even then, dominated the world of fashion and these fashion plates were among the only ways to learn the latest colors and styles which dominated French fashions. The dresses shown here have wide skirts, showing the contemporary rise of crinolines and hoops.

Mastery of Design: A Pair of Enameled Ruby, Diamond and Pearl Earrings, 1860

Earrings
Rubies, Diamond, Pearls, Enamel, Gold
1860
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This stunning pair of earrings of enameled gold is set with brilliant-cut diamonds, rubies, and pearls. Chances are, these earrings were most likely adapted from pendants from a matching necklace which is still in existence in the Victoria & Albert Museum. This is evidenced by the fact that the central stones are not of equal size and probably came from pendants mounted a different locations on the necklace.

Though the design of these earrings is decidedly Indian, the construction is most likely European, particularly French. French jewelers and English jewelers alike tried, for awhile, to emulate the look of the Indian jewelry which had been so admired at the 1851 Great Exhibition.

Indian jewels of the era were characterized by their rich appearance—a look that was achieved by combining enameled gold with heavy settings of pearls and dense patterns of thinly cut colored stones.

Humanitarian of the Week: Vincent Irizarry

Born in New York in 1959, Emmy Award winning actor Vincent Irizarry has been a staple of television since 1983. Mr. Irizarry’s interest in the arts began as a child as young Vincent studied music and piano, a pursuit he continued into college when he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston.


While attending university, Mr. Irizarry began performing in a host of regional theatre productions and after being graduated returned to New York to pursue his new love—acting—full-time. Soon, Irizarry had earned a scholarship to Lee Strasburg at his famed Theater Institute.

In 1983, Vincent won his first television role on the daytime drama Guiding Light, later joining Santa Barbara, returning to Guiding Light and then becoming a major part of the cast of All My Children in 1997. On All My Children, Irizarry played the complex anti-hero "Dr. David Hayward: until 2006 when he briefly worked on The Young and the Restless. He returned to AMC in 2008 and has remained there ever since.

Now, as All My Children’s historic forty-one year run on broadcast television comes to an end, Irizarry’s “David” is playing the key role in returning a variety of deceased Pine Valleyites to their loved ones. It is important to note that as the storyline is written, Dr. Hayward is not technically resurrecting these characters from the dead. He just happened to be there as they were dying so he could save their lives (and then hold them hostage for years). It’s a fine distinction.

Mr. Irizarry’s unrivaled skills as an actor have elevated each scene in which he’s performed. He is, truly, one of the most gifted actors in the industry. Fittingly, Irizarry has allowed his gift to make him all the more generous.

Through the group FOVI (Friends of Vincent Irizarry), which was created in the Spring of 2000, Mr. Irizarry has ventured into many charitable programs designed to encourage good stewardship of humanity. According to Irizarry’s official Web site, with “Vincent's help and support, FOVI has raised over $100,000 from fundraisers…”

One of FOVI’s most ambitious projects was fundraising for Habitat for Humanity's Women's Build Program. The group has also donated its time to collecting canned goods to help feed New York's hungry, supporting children with HIV-Aids, children with cancer via programs with St. Jude's Children's Hospital, and is fearless in the face of any new challenge.

For the quality of his work and for the quality of his spirit, Vincent Irizarry is our “Humanitarian of the Week.”