1850s Collars

1850s Collars
Date	1850-1860
Category	Women
Item	Collars and chemisettes
Fabric	Cotton muslin, Lace
Decoration	Embroidery, Lace
Wearer	-
Maker	-
Acc. no.	(1) HC.A-7.85 (2) HC.A-1.78-24 (3) HC.A-0.14 (4) HC.A-10.09

Collars were worn in the neck of dresses. They were sometimes sewn round the neck of a chemisette, which worn under the dress and showed if the dress had a lower neckline.

(1) Whitework collar on a chemisette with a frill

The muslin collar is attached to the neck of a muslin chemisette.
Detail of the collar
Unknown woman
Margaret Seton by Carl Stefan Bennet, 1850s. Gripsholm Castle, Nationalmuseum Collection, Sweden

The collar has fine raised whitework on 4¼" deep vandyke points round the edge. It is sewn to the neck of a muslin chemisette which has a ½" wide band of whitework down the front edge of the right-hand side, with ¾" wide frills of Valenciennes lace each side; this overlaps the left front edge when worn. The outer corner of the lower edge of the right-hand front panel has the initials CD embroidered in deep pink silk. The lower edge of the back has a ¼" wide channel for a linen tape, ⅛" wide, to tie round the waist, holding the front sections in place.

A pattern of this chemisette can be found in Fashionable white-embroidered accessories c.1840 to 1900 by Heather Toomer, published by Heather Toomer Antique Lace.

(2) Cutwork embroidered collar

The ivory cotton collar has cutwork embroidery and the scalloped edge is finished with blanket stitch. It is 2¾" deep widening to 3" at the front edges. The inside edge is sewn to a band of plain cotton, ½" wide.
Detail of the collar
Portrait of an unknown woman by an unknown artist
Clara Lechner by Carl Spitzweg, 1858-1860. Private Collection

(3) Honiton lace collar

A collar in Honiton lace, a bobbin lace which takes its name from the Devon town where it was made. The motifs were made separately and joined by bobbin-made links called brides. It is 3" deep and the inside edge is sewn to linen tape ⅜" wide.
Detail of the lace
Sarah Jones, Mrs John Gerard Heath Lander, British School c.1855. National Trust

(4) Whitework collar on a chemisette

A cotton muslin collar with whitework. It is attached to a muslin chemisette which might be visible under a dress with a wide or V shaped neckline, but even under a high necked dress it would serve to keep the collar in position. The chemisette is open down the front and has no fastenings
Mrs Mathilda Holland by Francis Grant, 1858, Erddig, Wrexham © National Trust