My great-grandmother was born in 1910 and was married in the 1920s. After she gave birth to my grandmother, she purchased this kimono or dressing gown and our rough estimate is that she purchased it in the 1930s, maybe in NYC where they lived. She purchased it with the intention to wear it after the birth of her second child, possibly for a christening party or maybe just to take photos. Sadly, she had just the one child and so the kimono remained in her closet unworn for all those years. I inherited it when she died.
Please take note that it looks like a kimono with the long sleeves, yet it doesn't have a characteristic obi tie. Instead it has a very long sash. The floral embroidery is quite breathtaking. Although the size is for a small woman, it sweeps the floor. The hem is padded with thick quilting, which gives it a very lovely silhouette. Because of the padded hem and the embroidery, I thought it might be an uchikake or wedding kimono. However, the overall construction looks more like a Western-style dressing gown than a kimono. There was a craze for Orientalism in the 20s and 30s, and this has the look of something created for the Western market. But that is just a guess, I really have no idea what this is.
Any information you can provide would be very helpful. We do intend to eventually sell it as it won't fit any of the women in my family and it's rather precious for ordinary wear, we feel it would be better enjoyed by a vintage textile collector. But at this point, we're just trying to research its history.
