Corset

Corset made of drab/dark fawn coloured cotton woven in a twill weave, lined with cream cotton and trimmed with cream machine lace. The corset has a strong metal spoon shaped busk centre front; it opens centre front and closes with four metal keyhole and stud fasteners.The centre back opening has 17 pairs of eyelets for lacing. The corset is heavily stiffened throughout with ribs of tampico fibre which has been steamed to form its strong structure and to provide the" hourglass figure" of the period. Machine stitched.

Lining is printed with two patent numbers: 2205 (1880) and 1739 (1881). The patents record that tampico, 'a fibre produced from parts of the Mexican agave plant' have been used in place of whalebone or horn stiffeners. This process was invented for Warners by Edwin Powley Alexander of Middlesex. Similar examples are in the Symington Collection. The manufacturers Dr. L.G. and I. de Ver Warner were known in England as Warner Bros. U.K.