Vintage 1940s Dress - Rare! Surreal Onondaga Silk Novelty Print Tightrope Walker French Streetlamp Size S

♛Details

Vintage silk crepe ca. late 1940s dress with a Herbert J. Michael store label inside, marked on its selvedge “Styled by Onondaga.” A cool-toned black with delphite, fuchsia, ivory, butter, a surreal print depicting tightrope walkers, magnificent figures with torches or wands, French street lamps, and water imagery. Tulip sleeves with a clever caped effect, sweeping skirt.

With deep-diving (eye-crossing hours of it), I learned that the Onondaga Silk Company ran a program called the “American Artist Print Series” from 1947 until about 1950. They commissioned six up-and-coming US artists to collaborate on a series of textile prints. The artists chosen were all associated with Midtown Galleries in NYC: Gladys Rockmore Davis, Dong Kingman, Waldo Peirce, Doris Rosenthal, Julien Binford, and William C. Palmer. Several big names from fashion were tapped to interpret the resultant print textiles into expressive (and very expensive) garments, including designers Jo Copeland, Ben Reig, Sally Milgrim, Nettie Rosenstein, Sophie of Saks, and more. The project was deemed a commercial success, helping bring together the elite New York City art world, mass industrial manufacturing, and luxury department store retail.

This particular print may be by William C. Palmer, a classically-trained painter with a modernist’s eye whose artistic style favored heady lyricism balanced by skillful restraint. Unfortunately the ads in the news archive only show a selected few of the commissioned prints. Priced based on its own considerable merits, regardless.

Closures: side zipper

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All accessories (belts, jewelry, crinolines, pins, etc.) are for style inspiration only unless indicated.

♛Measurements

About a modern S. Interior fabric allowances and darts allow tailoring somewhat smaller or larger. Has "give" to fabric when pulled very tight wherever noted.

Bust (underarm area measured flat, then doubled) to about 36"

Waist about 26"/tight 27"

Hips full

Length, shoulder to waist about 16 1/4"

Shoulder to hem about 40"

♛Condition

Great vintage shape.

Nitpicks: the side zipper was replaced at some point with a smooth-functioning more modern one; zipper is, of course, hidden within its beautifully-sewn placket.

If held against a window's light to illuminate, I can see minor pulling to the two vertical shoulder seams; this is not visible under normal circumstances.

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Minor signs of previous use, character, and age are normal and expected for all pre-owned and vintage pieces. Flaws and issues we find are carefully noted/photographed, and our detailed photos give you a good idea of the look of each garment.