Beetle wing dress

Dublin Core

Title

Beetle wing dress

Subject

Victorian,Highlands

Description

This gorgeous dress was made in India, but has connections with the Highlands. It belonged to Barbara Morrison, who had been born in Inverness. She married a William FitzHenry in Jersey in December 1856, a Colour Sergeant with the 60th Regiment of Foot. They travelled to India together where the Regiment was stationed at Bellary Fort between 1867 and 1872. The dress is made from a lightweight cotton fabric and is beautifully embellished with silk embroidery and beetle wings. These wings from the elytra of the jewel beetle have been used for centuries in the highly elaborate embroideries of the far east. The soldiers wives would have commissioned dresses be made in the western fashion as this one is.

Creator

Indian

Source

objects,victorian,highlandlife

Date

1868-9

Contributor

eulac3d

Type

Physical Object

Identifier

51

Date Modified

15/05/2021

Extent

Diam 1550 mm

Medium

West Highland Museum

Spatial Coverage

find,15.1391242,76.8907719;

Europeana

Europeana Data Provider

West Highlands Museum

Europeana Type

TEXT

Physical Object Item Type Metadata

Prim Media

154

Material

cotton, silk, beetle wings

Object Number

3291

Citation

Indian, “Beetle wing dress,” West Highalnds Museum, accessed January 23, 2025, https://whm100.org/omeka/items/show/151.

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