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  • Ball Gown, 1951

    White silk satin gown with heavily beaded strapless bodice, belt, skirt, and petticoat. Scalloped neckline encrusted with pearls, blue rhinestones, silver tinsel. Bodice lined with cream silk georgette. Satin tie attached to skirt at waist. Garters attached to waist. Petticoat of white changeable taffetta with two wide bands of horse hair. Not certain if petticoat belongs with gown. Gown has been let out slightly at waist. Clothing label: BALENCIAGA/10 AVENUE GEORGE V/PARIS. Handwritten on tag s…

  • Adorned Satin Evening Dress, 1947

    Sleeveless red satin dress. Wide scooped neckline decorated with gathered leaf-shaped pieces to form petal effect; similar piece pinned below waist. Seam at waistline; self-fabric contour belt. Full bias-cut skirt with box-pleat trim on inside of hem. Bodice boned, but dress unlined. Clothing label: Salon Moderne/SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. Handwritten on label: Mrs. Firestone/11-28-47/402. This dress was probably made for winter 1947 Christmas or holiday parties.

  • Appliqued Silk Satin Evening Dress, 1947

    Steel gray silk satin evening dress with dark blue velvet appliques in stylized leaf pattern above and below waistline. Blue velvet standing collar and short blue puffed sleeves. Separate blue velvet belt lined with gray satin. Clothing label: SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. Handwritten on label: Mrs. Firestone/12-19-47/410. This almost surely served as a winter holiday dress.

  • Pearl Button Adorned Pink Evening Dress, about 1946

    Evening dress of blue chiffon over pink chiffon over metallic lace with pink silk lining. Neckline outlined with fabric flowers in shades of purple, mauve, yellow, pink, green; flowers have some gold embroidery and are interspersed with painted wooden beads in yellow and green. Dropped waistline. Blue hanging sash passes from back of right shoulder across front to left. Hem has wide band of metallic lace, trimmed with flowers. This garment was owned by Mrs. Harvey Firestone of Detroit, Michigan.…

  • Striped Taffeta Dress with Shawl, 1947

    Horizontally striped taffeta dress in green, blue, pale blue, and pink. Taffeta covered in navy blue machine lace in floral design. Strips of lavender, blue, and pink taffeta applied to lace in front; two vertical, three horizontal. Long rectangular lace shawl with same taffeta strips at either end and two strips placed on diagonal. Strapless bodice boned and slightly elongated at waist.Clothing label: ORIGINAL/CARRIE MUNN/NEW YORK. This garment was owned by Elizabeth Parke Firestone, daughter o…

  • Evening Dress, 1950

    Dress and jacket of navy blue floral-embroidered net sewn onto flesh-colored silk chiffon attached to navy blue silk faille slip. Net has quilted effect made by tacking down net in area of embroidery, allowing remaining tulle to puff-up around edges. Dress is strapless, with small standing ruffle of net at bodice top. Separate waist-length jacket has navy tie around neckline, elbow length sleeves, and lining of navy blue silk organza. Clothing label: BALENCIAGA/10 AVENUE GEORGE V/PARIS. Handwrit…

  • Wool Blend Sleeveless Sheath Dress, about 1952

    Sleeveless sheath dress in navy blue wool/silk or wool/mohair blend. Composed of two panels, front and back, buttoned together at shoulder and along sides. Back panel pleated from knee-level to hem. Standing collar and hip-level pockets edged with white pique. Separate same-fabric belt edged with black patent leather. F (for front) and B (for back) embroidered at neckline; R (for right) and L (for left) embroidered in pockets. Clothing label: 1837(1?). This dress is not labeled, but it looks lik…

  • Satin Jacquard Evening Dress with Diagonal Stripes, about 1947

    Satin evening dress with black-and-blue diagonal jacquard stripes. Bodice with wide neckline edged with aqua ribbon; ribbon covered with white lace interspersed with gold metallic thread patterns. Seams in bodice pulled. Elbow-length sleeves. Full-bias twelve-gore skirt edged with black box-pleated ruffle on inside of hem. Clothing label: ORIGINAL/CARRIE MUNN/NEW YORK. This garment was owned by Elizabeth Parke Firestone, daughter of Mr. Harvey Firestone of Detroit, Michigan.Elizabeth Parke Fires…

  • Shoes, about 1946

    French shoemakers were not exporting much in the 1940s during World War II. These may date circa 1946. Born in Decatur, Illinois in 1897 Elizabeth Parke married Harvey S. Firestone Jr., son of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company founder Harvey S. Firestone, in 1921.Once described by a friend as, "the most luxurious woman in the history of luxury," Elizabeth Parke Firestone's clothing collection illustrates her impeccable taste in fashion.