Antique-Gown

Elegant evening dress, ca. 1912, label: Grant Bros * Croydon. Croydon is a large town in south London, England. The antique dress is a one-piece. Very lavishly embroidered with glass pins, pearls and flowers made of thread. Hanging strands of pearls in the chest and back. We have rarely seen a dress that was closed so cleverly and elaborately with hooks and eyelets, but also with press studs. Definitely a dress that would have required a chambermaid. Embroidered tulle sleeves. Asymmetrical cut. A hanging appliqué on the back right side. The dress is in very good to excellent condition. It could still be worn carefully today as it is a "normal" size. The only drawback: the tulle is torn on the left hip (see last photo). Probably a defect that occurred early on and is probably due to a mistake by the seamstress (there is too much tension on this part). Provenance: English collection from Croydon. The fan is included in the set, the jewellery is not.

Grants department store was founded by Mr Richard Grant and his brother Mr William Grant in 1877, as a modest drapery business at no. 17 Croydon High Street (then No. 8). The family lived above the shop, but within a few years they needed to expand the shop. In a few years the department store had over 60 departments, including Hairdressing Salons, China, Glass, Hardware, Restaurants, and outside catering. Richard Grant died aged 75 in January 1924. William Grant died on the 3rd of March 1931 aged 79. The Grant family sold the store in 1983, and it finally closed in 1987.

Bust: ~ 90 cm
Waist: ~ 73 cm
Length: ~ 143 cm