We have a number of old wedding dresses at the museum. One day I photographed some of the small details on one of the dresses worn by an early resident.
This is the collar. The fabric is starting to fray. I am not sure what the material is..but it has lots of trim detail.
This is part of the trim on the dropped shoulders…the trim minus the fringe runs down the bodice and is repeated on the skirt.
I am not sure what is on her left arm..a wrap or stole of some sort. I think the collar is not straight with the world either.
Recently I have ben going through many of the photographs I took in the museum last summer..it gives me a chance to look at small details..like the wrap/stole..does it belong with the dress..is it period correct?
This gown is in the room we call the Toggery. A toggery is a clothing shop.
This room will be undergoing a transformation. We got a grant and were able to purchase three 8’ tall cabinets…they should help us to display some items better. Plus they have bottom shelves for storage! I have oodles of hat boxes that should go someplace.
What I wouldn’t give for some museum improvement TV Show to come in..take everything out of the room..repaint..and then display everything anew. I will probably have to settle for shuffling everything away from the walls..cleaning the nooks and crannies and installing the new cabinets. I have never had to close rooms before in the museum..I am thinking that next spring a few will have to be closed until the work inside is complete.
Like a ninny I have invited the Governor and Lieutenant Governor to egg coffee and homemade cookies in the Pioneer Room on May 10th the day before opening fishing weekend. Every year a town in Minnesota hosts the Governor’s Opening Fishing Tournament..it is a big deal..and Park Rapids is the town in the spotlight in 2013.
Back to me being a ninny..as soon as I heard that Park Rapids was chosen I submitted the invitation..figuring the early bird would get the worm ..and the free publicity. That was back in September..before we began painting my office, the Military Room and the High School Memory Room downstairs. All of those rooms need to be set right..before May 10. I will have eight days to get ready..what was I thinking?
I am trying not to think about it too much:)
My mother operated a dress shop in the 1930s so clothing has always interested me. I also have for many years collected early and mid-twentieth-century catalogs most of which include clothing. Anyway, that is a pretty wedding dress but it would be rather surprising if the shawl went with the dress. Was there no provenance provided with the shawl and/or dress? I would be concerned about the tag pinned on the dress. Metal pins eventually rust or otherwise corrode and will thereby damage the fabric. But even non-metal or coated pins will over time damage the fabric by leaving noticeable holes that will be difficult if not impossible to repair. Tags made of acidic paper should also not be used. The Minnesota Historical Society has a lot of materials available regarding the care of textiles. I hope the VIPs accept your "come-over" for coffee and cookies. While they are there, they could help paint. :-)
ReplyDeleteLove that old wedding dress......how interesting to work in the museum.....love History........You can do it.....You Go Girl, Francine.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be a normal thing for you to take on big projects and manage to get them done, so I don't have any fears for you about the May event. Of course, I'm not the one who has to do all that work. Love that old dress, it's still very pretty. I wonder if it did the trick and the wearer had a good marriage. :-)
ReplyDeleteLovely old wedding dress . Cutting it a bit close there aren't ya ? I know you will be able to get it all organized and done ! Big project though ! Have a good day !
ReplyDeleteThat dress is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI'll be praying for you as you finalize everything! Events are crazyyyyy stressful - but you're good at doing what you do!
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
I would love to see a photo of who wore that lovely dress. Someone TINY for sure!
ReplyDeleteThat dress is beautiful...do you think the embroidery is done by machine, or by hand?
ReplyDeleteThey were a very small person whomever they were, wouldn't it be great if you could come across a wedding photo of the dress.
Way to go about the invitation...and yes it will be stressful, but you will pull it off. And what is a egg coffee...is that another idiom that I haven't heard?
Jen
Sounds like you and the museum will certainly be in the limelight next spring! It will go fine, and hopefully generate all the free publicity you can use.
ReplyDeleteWith your eye for detail--like the trim on that dress--your event should go just fine!
Glad to hear about the grant...although actually, I'm sure the place could use several more grants like that. There is always something else to be done, especially in that old building.
You are not a ninny, look at it as an opportunity to not only show off your museum but also sell the fact that you need funding!!! Hopefully their minds won't be too far off fishing.
ReplyDeleteIt's not what you were thinking. You were just a solid thinker and you got a big prize for it.
ReplyDeleteMuseums all over the place have a shortage of space. Ours rents space to store stuff.
Good for you, hosting the gov and lt gov. I think they are pretty down-to-earth people despite everything. And you are absolutely right, they make the finishing trip with a horde of media. Suggestion: have some kind of brief handout with two or three talking points about the museum so it's easy for them to work it into their stories, and a few nice things to photograph (the dress is perfect) and maybe a nice hand-lettered sign that says something like "Help your museum as a volunteer or donor...or both!" Except you'll give it more personality. Oh, and the "recipe" for egg coffee, 'cause if they understand what it is they can talk about it and you get more words in the story.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been one beautiful dress in it's day.....still is. Pressure might get it all done.....not thinking about it might help with the stress of all that pressure.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful dress. There were some nice wedding dresses at the Madison County Museum, too. Maybe, next time we visit London, I will get some pictures and we can compare dresses.
ReplyDeleteI can finally post comments again! Amazing detail on that dress. You will have your work cut out for you, but it will be marvelous! Congrats on snagging the governor! ;)
ReplyDeleteI loved seeing the pictures of that old wedding dress! Look how tiny the waist was!,
ReplyDeleteI hope all your volunteers show up!
ReplyDeleteLove the old wedding dress. Cant imagine being that tiny. Keep the faith I know you will get done in time.
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely shots of the old dress! Not my style but lovely...
ReplyDeleteEight days and loads of volunteers should get everything in order?
And they are coming!?!? What a cool deal if they do show up! And you will be charming and they will understand...maybe you will get money for a FURNACE!!! And AIR CONDITIONING...heck one never knows!
ReplyDeleteLinda
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I am IMPRESSED. You can start dropping names, girl!
ReplyDeleteI think the sign in Monday's blog post will be appropriate for you in those eight crazy days:)
ReplyDelete