Queen Mary's Coronation Dress 1911
Silk, satin, lace, chiffon, hand embroidery, gold thread, Petersham ribbon | 104.2 cm (Bust); 68.5 cm (Waist); 132.2 cm (Length); 218.5 cm (Length) (whole object) | RCIN 75030
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A coronation dress of cream coloured silk satin, relined with same. Embroidered gilt metal thread and tiny gilt metal beads with the national emblems: the Tudor rose, thistle and shamrock, a border of waves at the hem representing the oceans connecting the British Empire, the Lotus and the Star of India. Princess line cut. Inner bodice made of cream silk taffeta, trimmed at neck with handmade Irish needlepoint lace. Inner bodice boned, the bones encased cream corded silk, fastening hooks and eyes. Petersham belt at inside waist, fastening rectangular steel buckle. Three quarter length sleeves, short silk satin oversleeve, longer on the inside, with inner sleeve of hand made gilt metal bobbin lace. Back and front panels of oversleeve stitched to undersleeve so that panel lace visible. Sleeves lined beige silk chiffon. Full skirt, trained, with rounded edge to hem, gores set in to seams for greater width. At back, asymmetrical closure, to left, (25 1/2 [65 cm] long), fastening with metal hooks and eyes and press studs. Hand stitched.
The Princess Louise Needlework School in Sloane Street used gold thread to embroider a pattern with the English rose, Scottish thistle, Irish shamrock, star of India, lotus of India and English oak leaves and acorns.
Reville and Rossiter was a London couture house made court dressmaker to Queen Mary. It gained the royal warrant in 1910 and in 1911 designed the queen's coronation robe. By the 1930s they were no longer in business.Provenance
Worn by Queen Mary at the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary at Westminster Abbey, 22 June 1911. Displayed alongside (not mounted together) the Queen's Robe of Estate and the King's Robe at the Imperial Institute, South Kensington, 10 - 17 July 1911.
Reville and Rossiter designed the dress but the pattern and embroidery was traced by Miss Jessie Charlotte Robinson, tutor at the Royal School of Needlework (or more likely Princess Louise's Needlework School or the Ladies' Work Society) and supervisor of the embroidery on the Robe of Estate also.
Sent on loan to the London Museum, later the Museum of London, before 1933 and possibly as early as 1914, and subsequently returned. The dress was relined during this time under the care of the Museum of London. -
Creator(s)
(embroiderer)(embroiderer) -
Medium and techniques
Silk, satin, lace, chiffon, hand embroidery, gold thread, Petersham ribbon
Measurements
104.2 cm (Bust); 68.5 cm (Waist); 132.2 cm (Length); 218.5 cm (Length) (whole object)
218.5 cm (whole object)
Place of Production
London [Greater London]
