NIGHTGOWN, DOLL

Description: DOLL NIGHTGOWN, STRIPED WHITE FABRIC WITH LACE ON COLLAR AND CUFFS. COLLAR HAS ONE SNAP AT TOP. VARIOUS RUST COLOURED STAINING THROUGHOUT FRONT. BOTTOM OF GOWN FLARES OUT WITH WIDE HEM. VARIOUS CREASES IN FABRIC FROM FOLDING. REVERSE HAS DARKER MORE CONCENTRATED RUST COLOURED STAINING AT TOP NEAR COLLAR, RIGHT SHOULDER, AND NEAR BOTTOM LEFT.

History: DOLL NIGHTGOWN WAS OWNED AND USED BY DONOR’S MOTHER MARY ELIZABETH VANBUSKIRK NEE TAYLOR, AND MADE BY DONOR’S GRANDMOTHER EDNA LOUISE TAYLOR NEE PRINCE BEFORE SHE PASSED AWAY IN 1916. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS EXTRACTED FROM A LONGER NARRATIVE WRITTEN BY MARY VANBUSKIRK AT THE TIME OF DONATION: “LIKE MANY OF HER CONTEMPORARIES, [MY GRANDMOTHER] LOUISE WAS A METICULOUS NEEDLEWOMAN -- SHE MADE MANY OF HER OWN CLOTHES AS WELL AS MUM'S, EVEN INCLUDING UNDERWEAR, NIGHTWEAR, AND DOLL CLOTHES. FOR HER LAST PREGNANCY SHE FASHIONED SEVERAL LOUNGING OUTFITS TO WEAR WHILE IN BED AND NURSING THE BABY. SADLY, SHE DID NOT GET TO WEAR THEM FOR VERY LONG.” FOR DETAILED BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION RELATING TO DONOR'S FAMILY HISTORY, PLEASE SEE TO P20110012001.; *UPDATE* IN 2021 TWO COLLECTIONS ASSISTANTS, RYLEY GELINAS AND O. E., CONDUCTED AN AUDIT OF THE ROLLED TEXTILE COLLECTION, INCLUDING OTHER ARTIFACTS WITHIN THIS COLLECTION. RESEARCH CONDUCTED INTO THE DONOR WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS MADE AVAILABLE AS A RESULT OF THE AUDIT WORK.