Black bodice with lace collar and jet beading

A black bodice with a lace collar and jet beading. The bodice is made of black silk faille and has a two-inch ruched band collar with silk bobbin lace hand sewn to the top. The bodice has two openings, the first on the proper left side which starts at the collar. The collar fastens with two metal hooks and two thread eyes, another metal hook and thread eye fasten along the shoulder seam. Seven metal hooks and one metal eye are sewn to the proper right side of the first opening, these align with seven thread eyes on the proper left side, the top and bottom eyes are broken. The second opening is along the center front and closes with nineteen metal hooks on the proper right side which aligns with nineteen metal eyes on the proper left side. Two rows of jet beads in a leaf pattern are sewn to the center front of the bodice. Four are on the top and three are on the bottom. A decorative pleated self-fabric band is inset along each shoulder seam and is stitched down to the bodice just above the hem. The band on the proper left side has become detached at the bottom. A metal hook is sewn on the proper left band which corresponds to a metal eye on along the proper left side opening. The edges of the bands are finished with a single fold and hand herringbone stitches. The long gigot sleeves are made of two parts, the top half is gathered at the top of the armscyes and slightly above elbow length where the two sleeve panels meet. A self-fabric bow is sewn to the center back of the collar. Four pleats are sewn to the center back of the bodice and two side back seams. Three pieces of boning are sewn to the interior of each side front panel. One piece of boning is placed between the exterior fabric and lining on each side. Four pieces of steel boning are encased in brown cotton. Steel boning is sewn to each side seam which is encased with blue synthetic ribbon. Three pieces of metal boning are sewn to the back interior of the bodice, one at the center back and one along each side back seam. All these pieces are encased in blue synthetic ribbon which is secured with hand herringbone stitches. Black silk faille is handsewn below the boning. The blue synthetic ribbon was possibly a later addition. The bodice is lined with silk satin with pinked seam edges. The edge of the center front opening and collar are handsewn at the interior. The bottom hem is faced with a one and a quarter inch hand sewn self-fabric bias band. A metal hook is sewn to each side of the center back bone. A self-fabric hanger loop is sewn at the interior at the top of each armscye. Canvas is placed between the exterior fabric and lining. The bodice is unlabeled.