Rare c. 1860 Hand-Sewn Linen Split Drawers (Antique Underwear) with Handmade Silk Lace, *Free Shipping

Authentic women’s split drawers at over 165 years in age, are dated to about 1860.  The drawers are exquisitely constructed by hand from fine, handkerchief-weight linen and trimmed with handmade silk lace.

Made during the early years of the wide hooped skirt, split drawers allowed a woman to use a chamber pot or bourdaloue without removing the many layers worn over her corset. The two legs were intentionally left separate through the crotch, with the opening extending from the front waistband to the back waistband. When worn, the fullness overlaps neatly.

These drawers were made for a fashionable woman of considerable means. The linen is exceptionally fine, the lace-trimmed ruffles are softly gathered, and delicate silk hand embroidery decorates each leg. Two iridescent mother-of-pearl buttons fasten the narrow waistband at the back.

The construction is extraordinary. Every seam is completely finished, inside and out, without loose threads or exposed raw edges. The stitches are so small and precise that many are best examined under magnification. Weeks of highly skilled work would have been required to complete this garment.

The generously cut legs were designed to fall comfortably beneath a hooped skirt, ending just below the knee in wide, lace-trimmed flounces. Although approximately 165 years old, the drawers appear never to have been worn and may originally have been part of a trousseau.

They are strong enough to be worn with appropriate care and would be an exceptional addition to a Civil War reenactor’s wardrobe, a historic costume collection, or a museum display.

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Condition

Exceptional antique condition. No holes, tears, stains, snags, repairs, or storage odors. A few minor weaving irregularities are original to the linen and are not damage.

Both iridescent mother-of-pearl buttons are original to the garment. The hand sewing, silk lace, embroidery, and gathered flounces are intact. Close examination indicates that the drawers may never have been worn.

The garment has been cleaned by a professional textile conservator using museum-accepted methods, including extended soaking without bleach, starch, or harsh chemicals. It is clean, strong, and ready for careful wear or display.

Measurements

• Waistband: Approximately 30½ inches (77.5 cm)
• Circumference of each leg at the widest point: Approximately 36 inches (91.5 cm)
• Overall length, from top of waistband to bottom of lace: Approximately 28¼ inches (72 cm)
• Depth of lace-trimmed ruffle: Approximately 5¼ inches (13.5 cm)
• Closure: Two original mother-of-pearl buttons at the back waist
• Crotch: Fully split from the front waistband to the back waistband, as originally constructed

Provenance

Purchased more than twenty years ago from the lifelong collection of a woman in her late eighties who lived on the New Hampshire coast near the Massachusetts border.

Her extensive collection included fine historic clothing, linens, and antique lingerie assembled over many decades. I acquired dozens of pieces from the collection, including these exceptional c. 1860 split drawers.