Search the Collections | Canadian Museum of History

Place of Use Continent - North America, Country - Canada, Province / Territory - New Brunswick, Municipality - Saint John, Township / District - Saint John, County of
Category Personal artifacts
Sub-category Clothing, outerwear
Department History
Museum CMH
Earliest 1870/01/01
Latest 1872/12/31
Materials Textile, Silkworm silk, Metal
Person / Institution Associated party, Nowlan, Mrs.
Measurements Length 204.0 cm, Width 73.0 cm, Thickness 11.0 cm
Related activity Marriage

Caption Comments on this wedding gown from the Reynolds family
Additional Information A wedding gown made of purple silk satin, with black silk bobbin lace; English, probably Bedfordshire Maltese type. The selvage to selvage width is approximately 43.0 cm (part of selvages has been cut off). Gown has a fitted peplum bodice with two long partly boned darts on each side of the buttoned centre front opening; horizontal dart at waist of side sections; bones in side seams; back cut in three pieces and extends into peplum tail; high round neck with bound edge. It has long two-piece shaped sleeves set in with cording; body is lined with light brown cotton twill, sleeves with glazed cotton tabby. Dress is trimmed with lengths of pleated bias bands, and with black lace that goes over the shoulders, across the back in a point, and down fronts to bust line, suggesting a yoke. Lace has also been sewn around the edges of the peplum and part way above wrists and up outer seams of the sleeves. Gown features eight black-covered domed buttons with a raised motif, a small bow centre back at waist, and a skirt composed of seven gored pieces and two selvage-to-selvage lengths. Skirt has a slit pocket at the right seam of the centre front panel; lined with tarlatan; hemmed. This is said to be the wedding dress of Mrs. Nowlan, daughter of W.K. Reynolds, editor of the New Brunswick Magazine and builder of the first suspension bridge in St. John, New Brunswick.