Browse Items (31 total)

Beaded purse with bird design.

Black, high-top leather shoes for women.

Printed paper folding fan with ebony sticks.

At the opening of the 1890s, women enjoyed more choices in the styles of their clothing than ever before. Outdoor exercises such as tennis, swimming, and bicycling, now viewed as normal feminine pursuits, led to a demand for less constricting…

Fannie Brown Buxton (1859-1944), niece of Senator Henry G. Davis (1823-1916) and Colonel Thomas B. Davis (1828-1911) of West Virginia, wore this dress at her wedding in 1891 to Arnold Frederick Gerstell (1861-1914), Vice President and General Manager…

This purple warp print gown most likely belonged to the donor's great grandmother, Susan J. Smith (1849-?) of Hempstead, NY. She was the wife of L. Russell Clapp (1846-1902), a veteran of the Civil War who later became a civil engineer and…

Patriotic feathered fan in red, white, and blue. This festive fan was likely used in celebrations of the the 1876 Centennial.

Additional note:

The first official World's Fair in the United States was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1876.…

Straw hat with black trim.

Velvet choker with floral printed buttons.

As leisure time increased for some, designers often adapted daywear for outdoor activities ranging from archery to croquet to ice-skating, while still managing to preserve the fashionable silhouette. Knit underwear, combinations (undergarments that…