Hand block/painted Caracao
1790s

Lovely hand block print with the blue dye painted in. The fabric with hints of a glaze.

Description

The rich conquer brown cotton ground hand block printed with a vertical trailing small flower meander alternating with a stripe with small sprays of flowers, all in red, pink, cream and brown with the blue hand painted, the background with a fine black stripe.

The large scoop neck edged with a little pleated frill, elbow length sleeves and a shaped droped front,  the back with central seam flanked by curving seams from waist to back shoulder, a wide pleated back frill to the waist, lined with coarse linen with a front section with eyelet holes, eleven black metal hooks to the waist area, to attach to the skirt.

Bust approx 42 in; 1.07m

Back shoulder to waist 13 1/2 in; 35 cm

Condition

The right front closure has a oval patch 1 3/4 in; 4.5 cm. There is also a small square patch to the the lower left hand area, above the curve. The back has two areas of light markings 3 1/2 x 2 1/2 in; 9 x 6 cm.Two small patches to the back sleeves.