Gown
Period1868
Place MadeSan Francisco or New York, U.S.A.
MediumSilk satin, cotton, buckram, linen
Dimensions59 × 23 in. (149.9 × 58.4 cm)
ClassificationsCostume, Women's
Credit LineGift of Mary Minturn Adams in memory of her Hartshorne Ancestors, 2018
Object number2018.10.26
DescriptionA woman's day gown of loosely woven black cotton gauze. Constructed of one piece, the gown's bodice is designed with a front opening fastened with hidden steel hooks and eyes from neck to waist. The gown's full gathered skirts fasten with a dogleg style closure at the waist front. The skirt's fullness is gored at front, with most of the fullness gathered in cartridge pleating towards the back of the waistband. The gown's long shaped sleeves are relatively closely fitted, with a slight dropped shoulder seam. The gown's neck is edged with rich electric blue silk satin. The gown's sleeves and hem are trimmed with scalloped panels of black gauze, all bound and edged with narrow blue silk. The gown includes a separate "proto bustle" attachment consisting of a large gathered panel of black gauze, edged with blue silk satin and gathered and attached to a wide blue silk satin waist band or belt, fastening with a single hook and eye closure. The gown also includes a separate elaborate shaped shawl, comprised of black cotton gauze gathered at the back neck and with long front panels, all with matching blue silk edged scallop trim. The shawl has an additional rosette bow at the back center. The gown's bodice is lined in plain black cotton, with two pairs of whalebone stiffeners sewn into channels. The skirt hem is lined with dark brown plain cotton and bound with black cotton.Curatorial RemarksThe wardrobe of Julia Norton Hartshorne, carefully preserved and protected in the years following her untimely death at the age of thirty, provides a rare glimpse into virtually an entire wardrobe of one woman at one moment in time. It is not uncommon for special garments of one particular person to be saved over time from various special occasions. Julia's wardrobe, however, presents a slice of a moment in time in her fashion choices. Based upon this 1868 wardrobe, one of Julia's favorite color combinations was black and electric blue. This gown, most likely a day gown due to the lack of a train - was constructed of a casual open weave black cotton gauze. Vivid electric blue silk satin was used liberally throughout the gown as edging to the large scallop trimming. Based upon construction techniques, the gown was made by the same unknown dressmaker who created the rest of Julia Hartshorn's wardrobe. This gown also featured an interesting removable "proto bustle," hinting at the movement of the full skirts of earlier in the decade from the round crinoline shape to what would become the bustled skirts of the 1870s and 1880s. The gown is in extraordinary condition, and shows no signs of ever being worn. NotesJulia Norton was born in Buffalo, NY, on 19 November 1838, a daughter of Charles Norton (1805 - 1870) and Julia A. Maltby (1804 - 1875). Between 1854 and 1861, the four Norton children moved to San Francisco, CA. Their parents moved to join them in the winter of 1862. In the spring of 1861, Julia became engaged to Benjamin Minturn Hartshorne (1826 - 1900), son of Robert Hartshorne (1798 - 1872) and Mary Ann Minturn (1802 - 1861) of Highlands, NJ. The couple married in San Francisco on 13 February 1862. Julia and Benjamin had three children: Julia Norton (b. 1863), Robert (1866 - 1927), and Mary Minturn (b. 1867). From May through November of 1868, Julia, Benjamin and their three children made an extended visit to the east coast, staying at Portland with Ben's father. They also visited friends and relatives in the New York area. Shortly after returning to San Francisco, Julia Hartshorne contracted a serious illness requiring the care of physician Dr. Charles Bertody from 4 December through 3 February 1869. On 5 December 1868, the doctor vaccinated Ben and the children. This suggests that Julia may have been suffering from smallpox, as the vaccine for it was the only one in common usage at that time. Julia Norton Hartshorne died on 3 February 1869 at the age of thirty. For more biographical information, including letters by her father-in-law Robert Hartshorne describing his son's wife to other family members, please see the portrait of Julia Norton Hartshorne 1999.7. The Association also has a portrait miniature of Julia Hartshorne (please see 2018.10.1.)
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