Textile Conservation
Collections Survey
Exhibitions

Historic Clothing

Nineteenth- and twentieth-century clothing abounds in New England museum and historical society collections, and most families have at least one heirloom garment. It is rarely strong enough to withstand the rigors of commercial dry cleaning, and therefore conservation cleaning is the safest option.
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Early 19th-c. silk dress.
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After conservation.
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Mounted for exhibition by Astrida Schaeffer.
Because of its complex three-dimensional construction, disparate materials, and often rigorous use, historic clothing presents its own unique set of challenges to the textile conservator. Whether it is to be worn by successive generations or saved for posterity, conservation-quality display and storage are a must for historic clothing. Images courtesy of Moffatt-Ladd House.
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This torn hem was difficult to repair because of the many-tiered and lined construction.
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A patch was placed behind the tears and then stitched entirely around the hem.
custom-made ethafoam form
Custom-made ethafoam® form.
Museum Textile Services provides expertly designed exhibition mounts and clothing storage systems for these complex and often delicate objects. 

We can build you a custom-made ethafoam® manikin for less cost than most generic archival forms. This Cree-Metis caribou hide jacket is embroidered and trimmed with silk traded to the Manitoba, Canada, region. It requires proper support to displayed safely due to the weight and fragility of the materials.

Many manikins and dress forms can also be retro fit for safe use.
A custom form, like the bustled manikin below, means that the clothing always fits right and can be dressed again and again without damage and additional fitting.
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Bustle manikin built for an 1870s dress.
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Images courtesy of Wistariahurst.