Historical information

Dress purchased by Mary Schwerkolt in 1910 on voyage to America via German and the Suez Canal in India. Mary was on the passenger ship Seydlitz. Her future husband Emil Jackschowsky was a crew member. They were married in the Orphan's Court of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania by Minister J.L. Fischer on April 15, 1912. Mary had delayed her departure to travel back on this voyage with Emil.

Physical description

Cream silk wedding dress. High neck with a stand up shaped collar in the Queen Mary style. Collar has cream silk embroidery of flower centre front and leaves either side and edged in crocheted silk finely. Front bodice has 2 pintuck pleats either side of embroidered central panel and pleats are edged by embroidered panels to bustline. Bodice is gathered into high waistband. Skirt is pintucked into waistband. Embroidery is a band around hemline. The embroidery design is Indian "mango" design. The back bodice has pintucks into collar and opened to below waistband with metal hooks & eyes. Box pleat at base of placket opening. 3.4 length sleeve has a panel at hem on front with embroidered 4 petal cross flower & leaves either side. Waistband lined with cotton & neckband lined with cotton. Hem is faced with satined cotton.