Details from the first Fortuny gown identified at Hammond Castle — a black velvet tabard with gold print in Persian design, black silk pleated sleeves, and side panels enclosed with Murano glass beads.
This summer, theHammond Castle Museum was happily surprised to find two original Mariano Fortuny gowns within its own collection. Museum archivists believe the Fortuny gowns belonged to Irene Fenton Hammond, wife of John Hays Hammond Jr. of the Hammond Castle Museum. Both garments, dating between 1920 and 1930, are velvet tabard gowns in Fortuny’s Eleonora Renaissance style and feature his famous pleating (an elegant and deceptively simple design).
The gowns had been folded neatly on a shelf in Irene Hammond’s closet for decades. A visitor on a tour (who also happened to be a textile specialist from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) noticed the iconic fabric of what she believed to be Fortuny gowns and raised the point to the museum archivists at Hammond Castle. Fortunately, the Hammonds cataloged much of their lives, so the archivists were able to locate the original documentation in their records.
“There is a multitude of culturally relevant artifacts within Hammond’s extensive collection, from second century to seventeenth century. Finding such an exciting piece of couture fashion right there in Irene’s closet, unbeknownst to us for decades is truly incredible and yet not surprising,” said Linda Harvey, executive director. “Hammond Castle Museum is delighted to be able to display these very special gowns and share them with our visitors.”
Mariano Fortuny was a Spanish fashion designer who ran a couture house from 1906 to 1946, establishing his studio and showroom in a Venetian palazzo. During his time, Fortuny created and developed the Delphos gown, of which he gained his fame. Like Hammond, Fortuny was also an inventor, holding approximately 22 patents including some in garment printing processes and the Delphos gown itself.
The first gown identified is a black velvet tabard with gold print in Persian design, black silk pleated sleeves and side panels enclosed with Murano glass beads, reports the museum. Condition is good, with minor stains and wear. The second gown identified, which will require careful restoration, is a green velvet tabard with gold print in 15th-century Italian design, gold silk pleated sleeves and side panels enclosed with Murano glass beads. Condition is fair, with shattering to the silk interior lining and minor wear.
Efforts have been underway to further preserve and restore the gowns, and they are now display at Hammond Castle Museum for public viewing. The exhibit will relay their cultural and historical significance to the story of Hammond Castle Museum and will open through next Friday.
Make sure to schedule a visit to the museum soon, because not only will the Fortuny exhibit close soon, but Hammond Castle will have its last official day of the season on Sunday, September 29. That day, there will be self-guided tours from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (tickets for the last tour must be purchased by 3:30 p.m.). While the castle will then be closed to the public for regular business until May 2020, it will still host some special events in the coming months (definitely check out what is planned for Halloween — October is said to be John Hammond Jr.’s favorite month of the year!).
