AN EMBROIDERED BALKAN LADY'S COSTUME
Possibly Romania, Ottoman Balkan Provinces, second half 19th century

Comprising a matching blouse and skirt front of plain weave ivory linen ground, the collarless blouse featuring a gathered round neck, voluminous sleeves, and gathered cuffs, the front panel and the sleeves boldly embroidered in red with blue highlights with stylised flowers, enhanced with thread-covered buttons, and additional later-added base panels, 46cm from the nape; the skirt front with gathered waist, with matching embroidery, the hem and sides with two rows of crochet ribbons in white and red, 87cm long, 98cm hem width; an underskirt of ivory cotton with a gathered waist and open sides, the added linen hem applied with one row of pink-red repeating geometric motifs, 92cm long, 68cm waist, 288cm hem width; and an unrelated bonnet of fine white muslin, gathered at the sides, the back held by a crochet oval panel, the front worked in gros point in red, blue, white, green, and black wools with stylised flowers and geometric motifs, 48cm across the brow.