FW: 'unpicked for the voyage".. !!

[Valerie Carson <ValerieC@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Title: FW: 'unpicked for the voyage".. !!

 -----Original Message-----
From:   Valerie Carson 
Sent:   Thursday, 14 April 2005 4:50 p.m.
To:    
Subject:        'unpicked for the voyage".. !!

 Amongst   our collection of 18th century silk brocaded gowns we have 4 which were brought by two different families of  settlers from England to New Zealand in 1819 and 1852 They have been unstitched and are clearly labelled     "unpicked for the voyage"

 The journey to NZ could take up to 5 months in small sailing ships and the settlers may not  have been able to fit fully assembled 18th century gowns in the limited space avalilable.  We are trying to establish whether   they were  brought here as family heirlooms or was the intention to remake them into 19th century garments ? Either of those questions could be correct. What we would like to know ,  have any of you who are working beyond Europe, have in your collections or know of  other garments that were" unpicked for the voyage" ?

 
 with  grateful anticipation !
 valerie

 

Valerie Carson
Conservator Textiles'
Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand
POBox 467
Wellington
New Zealand
Phone 64-4-381 7332
Fax     64-4-381 7310
valeriec@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_____________________________________________________

 

The email message together with the accompanying attachments may be CONFIDENTIAL. If you have received this message in error, please notify mail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx immediately and delete the original message.  The views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where the sender specifically states them to be views of Te Papa.  Te Papa employs strict virus checking measures and accepts no liability for any loss caused either directly or indirectly by a virus arising from the use of this message or any attached file.
_____________________________________________________