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Dress
Date
1898?
Medium / Technique
Silk damask, silk satin underskirt, silk twill and cotton linings, cotton lace, silk velvet ribbon
ClassificationPersonal Objects - Clothing - Main Garments
Object NumberM970.23.76.1-3
CollectionMcCord
CreditGift of Margaret Van Horne
NotesA Colonial Dame
Explorers, Discoverers and Visitors set
Lady Van Horne, wife of railway magnate Sir William Van Horne, was one of the “lady patronesses” who took responsibility for organizing the ball. Her character’s name perhaps implied an affiliation with one of the two recently founded American associations whose titles included the term “Colonial Dames,” or it may have been her solution to the dearth of women identified in the historical record. Her dress shows a modicum of 18th-century influence.
Explorers, Discoverers and Visitors set
Lady Van Horne, wife of railway magnate Sir William Van Horne, was one of the “lady patronesses” who took responsibility for organizing the ball. Her character’s name perhaps implied an affiliation with one of the two recently founded American associations whose titles included the term “Colonial Dames,” or it may have been her solution to the dearth of women identified in the historical record. Her dress shows a modicum of 18th-century influence.
Status
On viewInformation about the objects in our collection is updated to reflect new research findings. If you have any information to share regarding this object, please email reference.mccord@mccord-stewart.ca.Information about rights and reproductions is available here.
Object/Image
Online Collections | McCord Museum - Montreal Social History Museum 
Lady Van Horne costumed as "A Colonial Dame" in the Explorers, Discoverers and Visitors set at the Historical Fancy Dress Ball, Montreal, Quebec, 1898
Wm. Notman & Son
1898
II-123034.2
Lady Van Horne costumed as "A Colonial Dame" in the Explorers, Discoverers and Visitors set at the Historical Fancy Dress Ball, Montreal, Quebec, 1898
Wm. Notman & Son
1898
II-123035
This project is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Azrieli Foundation and Canadian Heritage.