Child's Gown
PeriodCirca 1825 - 1835
Place MadePossibly Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S.A.
MediumPlain woven cotton muslin
Dimensions21 in. (53.3 cm)
Classifications(not assigned)
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Campbell Rudner, 1980
Object number1980.14.44
DescriptionA child's gown of plain woven cotton muslin, constructed with a wide square neckline, puffed short sleeves, a high, wide waistband, and full gathered skirt with a deep hem and a horizontal band of nine narrow piped tucks above. The gown closes at back with two buttons at the waistband and a narrow drawstring tie closure at the back of the neckline.Curatorial RemarksInfant's and small children's garments are quite often a challenge to specifically date. Boys and girls wore virtually the same garments until the age of about five or six, when little boys would be "breeched," or dressed in trousers or pants from then on. This little gown was constructed of plain woven white cotton muslin, a standard choice for several reasons. Muslin was relatively inexpensive and was widely available, and most of all had the benefit of being completely washable and bleached if necessary. This gown is entirely hand sewn. Some of the seams are sewn with fine, well-made backstitching, which at first glance can appear to be machine made. A close inspection of this garment, however, revealed that the entire gown was hand sewn, including the tiny piped horizontal tucks or pleats along the wide hem.NotesThis child's simple gown is made of plain woven cotton muslin and was most likely worn by the two youngest children of Susanna MacLaren (1794 - 1875) and Edmund Throckmorton (1792 - 1866). The couple had three children including Margaret (1816 - 1887), Joseph A. (1827 - 1907), and Anna Maria (1832 - 1913). The gown, although simple, does include some detailing that indicate its date of construction to between 1825 and 1835. Gowns of this type were worn by both girls and boys. The wide, square neckline and decidedly puffed sleeves along with the nine rows of narrow piped tucks above the hem place the gown close to 1830. Infant's and child's garments were often made for one child, then passed to younger siblings as hand-me-downs, which may well be the case here. Son Joseph was born in 1827 and would have been around three, the perfect age for a gown of this type. His younger sister, Anna Maria, was born in 1832 and most likely inherited the little dress from her older brother, as this garment and many others descended to Anna Maria's daughter, granddaughter, and great granddaughter. The collection of more than 100 infant's and children's garments, along with other Throckmorton family textiles, was donated to the Historical Association by Anna Louise Campbell Rudner in 1980.
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