CHILD'S VICTORIAN ENSEMBLE, LOT OF FIVE PIECES (UPDATED 7/10/18), comprising a silk robin’s egg blue and white checkered taffeta dress with sharp kick pleats and mother-of-pearl closures on back, fully hand sewn; matching button-down jacket heavy with hand-embroidered mesh lace trim, fully hand sewn; pair of high-top button shoes in matching robin’s egg blue with scalloped trim and Joel Swope & Bros., St. Louis, MO label on soles; pair of white cotton stockings with double red line and small mother-of-pearl button top trim; and pair of slightly later child’s purple silk hand-knit and hand sewn stockings. Circa 1880. Dress approximately 23" from shoulder to hemline, jacket approximately 18" from shoulder to bottom of lace edging, shoes 4 3/4" L.
Dress, jacket, and matching shoes in very good condition with moderate shattering and small loss of silk to kick pleats, stains, and weak areas in silk taffeta. Shoes in excellent condition, very light wear to soles, expert stitching and workmanship, very light scuffs to color, pinhead sized holes and tiny chips to color and leather, one shoe lacks one button. Cotton stockings in good condition with multiple darnings, stains, and wear. Silk stockings in near mint condition, appear unworn.
Provenance: Property deaccessioned by The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), to benefit the collections and acquisitions funds.
Catalogue Note: References to luxury shoemaker Joel Swope of Joel Swope & Bros. are found in numerous publications including Scribner’s Magazine dated 1880; the St. Louis Post-Dispatch dated 1880; and The Book of St. Louisians: A Biographical Dictionary of Leading Living Men of the City of St. Louis and Vicinity dated 1906.

Dress, jacket, and matching shoes in very good condition with moderate shattering and small loss of silk to kick pleats, stains, and weak areas in silk taffeta. Shoes in excellent condition, very light wear to soles, expert stitching and workmanship, very light scuffs to color, pinhead sized holes and tiny chips to color and leather, one shoe lacks one button. Cotton stockings in good condition with multiple darnings, stains, and wear. Silk stockings in near mint condition, appear unworn.