Pink brocade Au Royal corset

Spain. c.1911-1913. An early 1910's longline corset made from bow patterned pink brocade. Although it does not have any brand stamp, it does have the same model number (T- 54 and E/5) and maker's pencil marks as two other Au Royal corsets from Madrid, Spain in the collection. Au Royal Corsets were based at 13, Fuencarral, 15- Madrid.



The top of the corset is edged in a wide band of finely made lace trim with pink silk ribbon inserts ending with a bow at the front. The front busk is curved which is slightly unusual for the 1910's but more common in European corsets than in North American longline corsets.



Although longline corsets were cut straighter and gave less waist reduction than earlier Edwardian corset gave, some early 1910's corsets still utilized diagonal seaming to give the body shaping. This model of corset uses an unusual placement of diagonal seams with the seams running towards the back rather than to the front. The corset is not lined and only the bottom inside edge is bound in twill tape.


The corset is boned with 18 spring steel bones, most of which are pre-curved to fit the figure better and shorten the breaking in time for a corset. The bottom front of the corset's skirt fastens with a hook and eye under the busk. The busk also has an ornate pointed busk hook sewn on top of the material. These are often seen on European corsets and were used to anchor the waistbands of petticoats, etc underneath it to stop them from riding up and creating bulk at the waist. Their second use was if you tied the excess ends of the corset lacing around your waist, you could anchor them underneath this hook to also prevent additional items at the waist.