To Madame the Countess de Sabran:
“For Mme the Marquise de Custine. Presentation Dress; 20 January 1788.
– The furnishing of a full gown, the petticoat of white taffeta, covered with a crêpe spotted with silver sequins, forming a fabric with contrary pleats, the foot of the petticoat trimmed with a large band of green sequins striped with white sequins, bordered at the bottom with a high gold fringe and tatting; three festoons forming shells bordered with a very high fringe of gold and silver tassels, a very beautiful garland in branch-work of green and pearl spangles mixed with gold spangles, with large flowers of blue spangles, the top of the petticoat striped in columns of garlands of green spangles, all a branch-work mixed with pearl: the bottom of the gown of blue satin trimmed with a fringe of gold and silver tassels; a band spotted with spangles, a flat gold fringe with tatting at the top; the grand corps of blue satin trimmed with a stomacher of black velvet embroidered with stones, the edging and shoulder straps matching. Four gold and fine silver gown tassels. The palatine with two rows of pleats of bastard-height blonde lace, fond d’Alençon; a rich garland in the middle; a pair of bracelets of bouillonné silver lamé, a large bouquet of plain blue and white larkspur. … 3,000 livres“
Dossiers Bertin (Doucet Library)


Weird–the text doesn't seem to describe this gown at all!I was amazed to see the drapery, in the red and green coloring–really, really over the top!Thanks!Auntie anan
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Oops. My iPad has a mind of its own,Auntie Nan
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Oh, it definitely doesn't! I think the reprint editors went with this because of the tassels and garlands.
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