Contributed by Maine Historical Society
Description
In the early 1830s, Anna Marie (Maltbyde) St. Felix (1798-1869) lived in Brooklyn, New York. Originally from Philadelphia, Madame St. Felix socialized in wealthy circles, as evidenced by her extravagant wardrobe. The very large balloon shaped sleeves are in the demi-gigot style, most popular in the early 1830s. To maintain the desired fullness, women fastened cushions, known as plumpers, to the top on the inside shoulder, like a shoulder pad.
Madame St. Felix’s granddaughter Julia St. Felix Thaxter of Portland gifted the bronze color dress to Maine Historical Society (MHS) in 1924, during an era when MHS collected widely, rather than Maine specific. There is no evidence Madame St. Felix or her husband Jean Reynaud de St. Felix, a Haitian-born settler-colonialist aristocrat, ever lived in Maine. While the dress lacks a strong Maine provenance, it is an excellent example of the era's fashions.
About This Item
- Title: Madame St. Felix's satin gigot sleeve gown, Brooklyn, NY, ca. 1833
- Creator: Anne Marie St. Felix
- Creation Date: circa 1833
- Subject Date: circa 1833
- Location: Brooklyn, NY
- Media: silk, cotton
- Local Code: A86-199
- Collection: Costume collection
- Object Type: Physical Object
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For more information about this item, contact:
Maine Historical Society485 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-1822 x230
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