Etruscan Revival Tunic | HALL OF WONDERS

A custom piece made from an antique, mid-1910's to early 1920's previously uncut linen dress panel pre-embroidered with stunning orange and marigold Etruscan Revival or Italian Grotesque-style motifs. New drawstring ties at each side of the waist. Partial hand-finishing. Slips over the head, but has a split down the upper back with a button and loop closure. Comes with a tiny Italian lead customs seal that was originally attached to the bottom right corner of the panel. Mel's Notes: Unraveling the history behind the unusual textile used to create this piece was a fascinating endeavor. With the help of a bag seal collector's group on Facebook, I was able to ID the customs seal as Italian. The panel somehow ended up in the UK which, combined with the seal, supports my hunch that it was made for export. The fact that it survived in such good shape for over a hundred years is a minor miracle. I explored several options for finishing the dress, but ultimately decided to make it an open-side