Full-Skirted Victorian Woman

This is a figural inkwell made of cast brass with a painted finish. The piece is designed in the shape of a standing woman whose skirt forms the body of the inkwell. The upper part of her body, from the waist up, is attached to the base by a hinge, allowing it to swivel open to access the inkwell housed in the hollow skirt. Her attire includes a fitted bodice and a bonnet.

Period and Style of Dress

The woman’s dress is an example of mid-Victorian fashion, popular during the crinoline era of the 1850s and 1860s. The immense, tiered skirt is the signature feature of this period, made possible using a cage crinoline worn underneath. She can be described as a “Southern Belle” or a “Victorian woman”, as this style represents the peak of romantic and full-skirted silhouettes of the time.