An exhibition of Historic
Wedding Attire
Rothschild House Museum
May-July, 2007

The Rothschild House was built in 1868 for D.C.H. Rothschild, a prominent merchant in Port Townsend.  Rothschild and his fine house reflect the quiet respectability that made up the stable communities of Puget Sound.  In 1863 the 39-year-old Rothschild married Dorette Hartung, a girl 20 years his junior.  Their first home was on the top floor of his Kentucky Store.  Their first three children were born there.  Rothschild had purchased a lot on the bluff directly behind his business as the site for his home.  It was to be sensible - not as flamboyant as the architecture that appealed to so many builders of the era.  

The Rothschilds were very hospitable and entertained frequently. Regina Rothschild's wedding in 1891 was, according to the local newspaper  "One of the most brilliant weddings that has ever occurred in this city."  The local newspaper gave a detailed account of the wedding:

The residence was highly illuminated inside and out by electric lights, the outside arrangement of which was as follows;  The front gable was decorated with a marriage bell made of incandescent lights and evergreens, while over the approach to the door was a horseshoe made of the same lights.  The porch had been decorated with flags, evergreens, etc., illuminated by the softened light of innumerable colored incandescents.

(The groom, Will Jones, was then an employee of the Port Townsend Electric Light Company.  Several years later the coal oil lamps in the house were replaced by electric fixtures.)

Wedding Attire Exhibit

Two piece gray-green taffeta gown. Double darted front, with princess style- is a self fabric bow at the back waist.  The front closes with 14 white pearl buttons and 14 hand-worked buttonholes. Metal hooks and eyes are placed between buttons and buttonholes.  The bodice is hand finished, boned and completely lined with tan cotton. The skirt is floor length, the front is horizontally pouffed, with pleating from the waist and side gathered panniers. A bagged bustle in the back has side borders of vertical pleated fabric.  Under the bustle to the hem are three rows of shallow pleated ruffles.  The bustle is lined with coarse netting. Donated by Mrs. George Prescott in 1978.

Ecru wedding dress of lightweight ecru silk. With an inserted yoke and cuffs of embroidered tulle and silk plisse.  It is trimmed around the edges with narrow silk cord applique arranged to resemble rosettes.  The attached sash of is of the same ecru silk, pleated and fastened at the back. Fasteners are hidden by a silk chou. 1900.  Donated by the estate of Linda Anderson in 1983.

Off-white 1920s wedding dress with scarf attached at the neck, layered skirt with two bows on the side.  Belonged to Dorothy Callaway.

When D.C.H. Rothschild was elected Grand Master Mason of Washington Territory in 1873, a ball in the territorial capital of Olympia was given in his honor.  For the occasion his wife, Dorette, wore a beautiful "blush rose" taffeta gown. Here, Granddaughter Dorette Mae Rothschild [m. Lemon] in the ball gown in 1935. The occasion was a special fashion show of David Spencer's, Ltd. creations. Donated by Leona Brown in 1994.

Reproduction of "blush rose" taffeta gown worn by Dorette Rothschild's great-grand-daughter, Laura Lemon Vogel, for her wedding in 1970. The original gown was created in 1873 for Dorette by David Spencer’s, Ltd. in Victoria.

Cream satin wedding dress.  White, scoop-necked, with net sleeves embroidered with silver thread. Overblouse of chiffon with the same silver embroidery. Worn by Luella Foster Stewart in 1918. Donated by her daughter, Bonnie-Dee Highfield in 1997.

Two piece wedding suit of brown faille.  Jacket has mutton sleeves and short peplum, fastened in front with 23 steel cut buttons.  The cuffs and standup collar are of dark rust-colored velvet.  The long skirt is of the same brown faille with a wide front panel of the rust-colored velvet, arranged in wide box pleats to the sides of this panel.  An attached underskirt is pleated in front in small box pleats which show beneath the larger pleats and front panel. Donated by Mrs. C. R. Casprowitz in 1977.

Not all Victorian era wedding dresses were white. The frontier bride had to be practical and often chose a fabric or pattern that would be suitable for many occasions after the wedding. Also, it was inappropriate for a widow to remarry wearing white. Mr. & Mrs. William (Grace) Pitcher's wedding photograph.

Two piece blue striped taffeta gown. The bodice is fitted with a peplum; the double front waist darts are boned and the back has princess styling from armhole. The skirt is gored and randomly pleated and is stiffened with coarse black netting; the hem is reinforced with sateen. The short detachable back flounce is pleated into a separate waistband. Worn by Mrs. N.D. Hill at her wedding. Donated by Miss Sallie Haddock in 1959.

Wedding gown, cream silk crepe over a cream taffeta petticoat with encased hoops.  Wedding veil of heavy cream lace with cream netting. Worn by Jean Hastings Hamlet Dudley in 1939. Donated by Lucinda Eubank and Jonathan and Harry Dudley in 2002.

Two piece ecru organza wedding gown.  Skirt has rows of vertical tucks and a wide flounce trimmed with three rows of ruching, attached to a satin petticoat which also has a pleated chiffon ruffle. The bodice is vertically-tucked chiffon over satin.  The waistline is finished with self belt trimmed with four rows of seed pearls. Underneath, a slip of ecru taffeta has five gores and a 10 inch pleated ruffle and slight train. Worn by Mr. Merrill's mother. 1900. Donated by Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Merrill in 1978. 

Mr. & Mrs. Carl Oldberg (Lillie Norby), 1899.

White organdy gown. Princess-styled back with center back seam that culminates in a short train.  Pleated bias tapes of self fabric are hand stitched over the back seaming ending in three bows of pale blue taffeta. Same seven bows decorate center front. Hem and train are finished with a 4 inch ruffle. Worn by Kate Hill Plummer as a bride's maid dress. Donated by Miss Sallie Haddock Hill in 1959.

Exhibit photography by Brian Moratti