Dressing Lena Curtiss
by Laurel ~ November 19th, 2008
In one of our guestrooms is an Eastlake dresser with marble accents. We bought it a few months ago at a local antique mall, and were delighted to view the same piece a couple of weeks later in the Glenn Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport. The piece was on exhibit as part of a display of the bedroom belonging to Glenn Curtiss and his wife Lena. A minor detail but interesting to us.
When I purchased a contemporary wire mannequin, I thought it would be a fun accent to place in a guest room dressed in Victorian garb. I placed the mannequin next to the Eastlake dresser. When my sister-in-law Julia visited recently, she dubbed the mannequin “Lena Curtiss,” only fitting Lena should be standing next to her own Eastlake chest. And so the name has stuck. View a photo of Glenn and Lena the humans here.
I’ve been trying to dress Lena for a few weeks now, looking through vintage clothing in antique malls and on eBay. Everything on eBay seems high-priced, or way too small while the Antique malls have provided few options.
Today, while I was unpacking a carton of mostly linens that had been stored in a cedar chest prior to this move, I stumbled upon an authentic Victorian petticoat I had totally forgotten about. I purchased it at an estate sale more than a decade ago for a quarter (the price tag on a bit of masking tape still affixed to it). I know it was purchased in western Massachusetts somewhere, but I no longer recall the details, other than carefully folding it and storing it. A superb example of a petticoat, I do recall thinking it could prove useful someday.
It took a very long time to iron this petticoat, with all the layers of ruffles and lace. It is far from perfect, there are some tears that need stitching — it is quite fragile as textiles from this era often are. Plus this petticoat is a snug fit for Lena Curtiss, the mannequin, at the waist. Ironing, is not much fun, though it is a task that does allow one to see detail in clothing. The construction of this petticoat is really impressive, the lace is dainty and detailed, there are rows and rows of tiny stitched pleats, angled cutouts, ruffles – some of it is hand stitched. A beautiful old piece. I’ll leave it on Lena for the moment, but not sure how wise it would be to keep her dressed permanently in it.
Lena is looking lovely, though she does need a top to complete her ensemble. I can almost imagine this piece as part of a tea dress and think of her on a summer afternoon playing croquet with other ladies in white.
