Woman's Imitation Marseilles Work Petticoat

1964.15.14 copy.jpg
1964.15.14D copy.jpg

Subject

Clothing and Dress

Title

Woman's Imitation Marseilles Work Petticoat

Date

1850 - 1870

Description

This petticoat is an example of imitation Marseilles work. In the late eighteenth century, manufactured yard goods that resembled the prized, time consuming, and expensive hand-stitched Marseilles white work began to be produced and exported from Britain. Production levels rapidly increased so that by the beginning of the nineteenth century almost all textiles bearing the name Marseilles were machine made, not hand stitched (Atkins 2001: 14).

The skirt of the petticoat is composed of two panels that begin in a piqué weave with three yarns but transform into Marseilles work with the introduction of a fourth floating weft yarn. This fourth, bulky yarn floats along the back of the fabric to add three dimensionality and give the appearance of quilted pomegranates, stylized greenery, and floral motifs. The entire petticoat is hand sewn with small, even stitches. The side seams are sewn in half backstitches, with the proper left seam allowance pressed open and finished with an overcast stitch. The proper right seam allowance is the selvage edge of the Marseilles fabric.

Early manufactured Marseilles quilting was a double cloth with a third layer worked in between during the weaving process (Atkins 2001: 14). In contrast, products made in the latter part of the nineteenth century as the Industrial Revolution progressed were woven in a single layer with a supplemental weft that created the effect of quilting to a lesser degree (Atkins 2001: 16). The low relief supplemental weft of the petticoat suggests a mid to late nineteenth century date. This date is also consistent with that provided by the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a similar Marseilles petticoat. In addition, white work was less fashionable between 1830 and 1850, before experiencing a revival mid-century (Atkins 2001: 17). This is again consistent with a date of mid nineteenth century for the petticoat. The evidence suggests that the HTCC petticoat was most likely made during the 1850s or 1860s.

The petticoat is a unique extant example of nineteenth century Marseilles work. In addition, although objects of particular emotional or cultural significance tend to be preserved in museum and private collections, the mundane objects of everyday life are scarcer. This petticoat is also significant as a utilitarian garment.

References

Atkins, Jacqueline M. “From Lap to Loom: The Transition of Marseilles White Work from Hand to Machine.” The Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association, Inc, 54:1 (2001): 9–19.

Petticoat, 1865–1869, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection (accession no. 2009.300.3234). 

Source

Donor: Mabel Etta Streeter Perrin, Maude Ide Streeter Coats

Identifier

URI 1964.15.01

Contributor

Sarah Gilcrease

Relation

Perrin Collection

Medium

cotton

Citation

“Woman's Imitation Marseilles Work Petticoat,” Historic Textile and Costume Collection, accessed March 29, 2024, https://uritextilecollection.omeka.net/items/show/78.