Saturday 18 February 2012

Morss & Whyte 1881 Cast Iron Dress Form Umbrella Mannequin

     I bought this vintage dress form in Charlottetown a few weeks ago.  It's suppose to have come from a general merchant's store in Georgetown, Prince Edward Island.
At the base on the leg has the following information -
Morss & Whyte 75 Cornhill Boston Pat. Oct. 12 1880

Here's about the only thing I could find out about my dress form:
OMG OLD 1880 STORE WIRE SKIRT DISPLAY DRESS FORM~STAND
     WHAT AN INCREDIBLE FIND THIS IS. THIS IS AN OLD DATED 1880 AND 1881 STORE OR DRESSMAKERS ANTIQUE WIRE DRESS FORM OR HOOP FORM ON STAND THAT IS METAL AND WIRE. This is such a rare find and only the second one that I have ever seen in person. This is an old store or dressmakers skirt form or skirt hoop display form. This is older and of very good quality. The skirt form is wire or metal and adjustable at the waist and hips and also in height. At the waist and hips is a measuring tape that was used for the sizes. There are parts of this tape, as I show, but there are some missing pieces of the measuring tape and some tears and discoloration. I've taken a few pictures to show you a little of how it adjusts, but I'm not exactly sure how it was suppose to go. At a dressmakers shop, the tailor or seamstress would pin the fabric to the form while making the skirt. In a General store, it was used to display a skirt or hoop.The metal stand or base has three legs or feet which are cast iron and come apart, as I show, for easy shipping to you. All three of the feet have writting on both sides which say MFD BY MORSS & WHYTE, PAT. OCT. 12, 1880, PAT. JULY 5, 1881, 75 CORNHILL, BOSTON, USA. It is all the original paint, which now has rusty, worn paint and chippy. This has an incredible look and would make such a unique statement in any home or shop. Perfect in any shabby chic, romantic cottage, Romantic Country, Primitive or Garden Room decor. Measures up to about 47" tall The base is about 17" by 17". The top of the waist opens to about 15" wide and the middle to about 17" wide. This is the side to side measurements.


5 comments:

  1. Arnold, they are SO cool. You know I love a good dress form, this one is a beauty!

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  2. I have the exact full-body dress form, but unfortunately it's missing the base. Looking for a buyer.

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  3. I have the exact full-body dress form, but unfortunately it's missing the base. Looking for a buyer.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Miss Burress
      I'm Louis. Is this dress form still owned by you?
      I added your IG account, but I wasn't sure if it's yours.
      If your dress form is same as the picture above,please let me know.
      Really appreciate it.

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    2. I just uncovered a morss & whyte dress form my great grandmother had that was attic stored for almost 80 years. Just like the full bodied one in the pictures here with MUCH better paint on the legs and Hall's Bazar measuring tapes woven through it.
      Really neat item in great condition for the years.
      Also have a Hall's Bazar dress and skirt form brochure from the 1880's era.
      Could be interested in selling

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