Seed Pearl Necklace and Bracelets

[Donna McCreary]

(03-06-2018 09:36 AM)L Verge Wrote:  

(03-06-2018 05:21 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Please excuse me for entering a conversation in which I have zero expertise. But am I correct in saying the lady pictured here does NOT have Mary's 1861 inaugural ball dress?

http://railsplitter.com/where-is-mary-to...all-dress/

I saw that same photo on a site that features images of Mrs. Lincoln in the inaugural gown, and my first instinct was, "Yeah, right!" The First Lady would be none too pleased at the large size of that bodice, and by the time her corset cinched her in, it would have laid in folds.

I always get a little perturbed at authors who take jabs at Mary Lincoln about her weight. In her era, women were considered more attractive with a little meat on their bones.

My grandmother was born in 1874, and grew to be 5' 10" in height, 130 pounds, had a 20-inch waist and did not have to wear a corset. She was the third daughter in the family and was considered an ugly duckling when she reached maturity because she did not have the hour-glass figure that was prized in those days.

I wonder what the authors who think Mrs. Lincoln was chunky think about some of our modern First Ladies - Mamie, Bess, Hillary, and Michelle for example?

Allow me to throw a few more facts and theories into the story of the inaugural gown.
The dress is the 1930 photo is a highly altered dress. The original bodice has been removed and the waist has been let out. What remains is part of the skirt. This is not the only one of Mary's ball gowns to have been greatly altered. The one that is located in the Smithsonian also has had the original bodice removed, and the skirt has been altered. It was common practice for women to cut up an out of date to gown to create something more fashionable. In the case of ML's gowns, wearing the exquisite fabric was more important than maintaining the historical integrity of the gown.
Having said that --- yes, the fabric of the skirt in the 1930 photo is from a gown that Mary wore in an 1861 photo. Several historians have guessed that this gown was an alternative inaugural ball gown. Personally, I have never seen any primary source material which indicates it was an alternative dress, but it is likely that Mary did have a back up gown. The gown chosen for the inaugural ball was the blue watered silk.
Now, here is a tidbit about the jewelry. Take a closer look at the necklace worn in photo of ML in the dress with ruffles at the bodice and hemline, and the photo of ML wearing the gown with the large floral print. The necklaces are close - but not the same.
Check FASHIONABLE FIRST LADY for details and a theory.

I would love to hear others' theories about the two necklaces.