1821 Corset

1821 Corset
Date	1821-1829
Category	Women
Item	Corset
Fabric	Cotton
Decoration	Embroidery
Wearer	-
Maker	-
Acc. no.	HC.U-1.11

1821-1829 White cotton corset

The back of the corset
Detail of the top of the lacing at the back
Detail of the front

Description

The cotton is in a steep twill weave.

There are no bones and all the stiffening is provided by cording of various thicknesses, arranged to give support where needed. The centre front has a channel, 1¾" wide, to contain a busk, a flat strip of whalebone or wood, which would have been inserted through a horizontal slit on the inside, about 1" down from the top. The busk used here is modern.

The shoulder straps are sewn to the back panels, and have two worked eyelets on each front end for tapes, ½" wide, to tie through two worked eyelets at the top corners of the front.

The back has 13 pairs of worked eyelets for spiral lacing; the lace used here is modern. The centre back edge on the right is ½" longer than that on the left.