Dinner dress

This dress belonged to Amelia Beard Hollenback (1844-1918), wife of the prominent financier and philanthropist John Welles Hollenback (1835-1927). In 1874, the Hollenback family settled in the neighborhood of Clinton Hill in Brooklyn. In the 19th century, Brooklyn became a metropolitan center with numerous affluent neighborhoods and a thriving downtown shopping district to fulfill. This dress, like many of the garments in Hollenback gift, was most likely custom-made by a Brooklyn-based dressmaker. The elaborate button and tassel decorations, the overall cohesiveness of design and the high quality of this stylish dress are a testament to the craftsmanship and great attention to detail carried out by American dressmakers at this time.