Antique & Vintage Dress Gallery
www.antiquedress.com
25
IMAGES:
DORIS DUKE in Ballgown... and in
same color dress (she must have loved this color!)
# 6903 -
c. 1950's
KATHRYN KUHN "Ashes of Roses" Beaded
Ballgown with Matching Long Satin Gloves! From the Estate of
Billionaire Doris Duke!
From
info at Georgeglazer.com: "Kathryn Kuhn was a prolific New
York City fashion and costume designer and custom couturier for over
50 years. Working out of her New York City townhouse studio, she
created innovative formal and elegant to playful and bawdy
dresses/gowns for private clients and actresses including Sophie
Tucker and Carole Lombard, and for various theatrical productions.
Kuhn started her career as a private dressmaker in 1911. During the
Depression in the 1930s, she found new clients designing for the
theater. From about 1950 until her retirement in 1967, Kuhn focused
on her elaborately housed private dressmaking business, where she
had a staff of 12 working at 57 West 56th St., NYC. She was
known for taking pride in quality workmanship and attention to
detail." This was obviously a couture gown designed and made
for one of the wealthiest women in the world, Doris Duke. Came from
museum deaccession. Lovely popular "ashes of roses"
color (I remember that from "The Thornbirds"!) silk satin gown
embroidered with beading on both the satin and the matching chiffon
panels at the front. Diagonally pleated bodice. The gown has
horsehair hip panniers inside (though would have been worn with
loads of petticoats or hoop as well. Back metal zipper. Comes
with matching satin long cuffed gloves. I can just imagine how
fetching she looked with (presumed) sable wrap. The gown is in
Very Good condition. There are issues. Some beads
missing (though nothing jarring), minor fabric discolor underarms...
but the MAIN issue (which wasn't disclosed when I purchased) is
someone tacked the full skirt in two areas to hide what looks like
cigarette burns near hem!!!!! You gotta wonder where Doris
was, or what she was doing to burn her hem area!! :)
Measures: 35/36" bust, 25/26" waist, 42" long from waist to
hem in front, 44" long in back.
SOLD - but on
display in Museum Category for Research/Study
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