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Professor Irma G. Bowen began collecting items in 1920 as a hands-on teaching tool for students in the Home Economics department at the University of New Hampshire. The collection was named in Bowen’s honor after her death in 1947, and by the time it transitioned to the University Museum in 1969, the Bowen Collection had gained new significance. With most of the objects donated by local colleagues and families, the preserved items were recognized as an unexpected archive of New Hampshire heritage on a personal scale, a glimpse of lives otherwise invisible to the historical record.

This digital catalog continues the Bowen Collection's mission to teach while expanding its reach by making it more widely accessible to those interested in the design, technique, artistry, and historical relevance of clothing.

Dress, silk printed with purple, with black and white trim, c. 1904, front view
Dress, silk printed with purple, with black and white trim, c. 1904
Dress, blue cotton with pouched bodice, tailored skirt, lace yoke, and matching belt, c. 1905, front view
Dress, blue cotton with pouched bodice, tailored skirt, lace yoke, and matching belt, c. 1905
Dress, House of Rouff, cream wool with lace-draped bodice and sleeves, trimmed with cording, ribbon fronds, and roses, c. 1905, front view
Dress, House of Rouff, cream wool with lace-draped bodice and sleeves, trimmed with cording, ribbon fronds, and roses, c. 1905
Evening gown, House of Rouff, black silk taffeta and satin with layered black net overlays embroidered with elongated black spangles and round sequins, c. 1905, front view
Evening gown, House of Rouff, black silk taffeta and satin with layered black net overlays embroidered with elongated black spangles and round sequins, c. 1905
Evening gown, pale yellow faille with Chantilly lace and a bobbinet overlay appliquéd with Art Nouveau lilies, c. 1905, front view
Evening gown, pale yellow faille with Chantilly lace and a bobbinet overlay appliquéd with Art Nouveau lilies, c. 1905
Wedding dress, cream silk satin and lace with long sleeves and a train, c. 1905, front view
Wedding dress, cream silk satin and lace with long sleeves and a train, c. 1905
Dress, machine embroidered white muslin with a lace yoke and sleeves, c. 1905-1910, front view
Dress, machine embroidered white muslin with a lace yoke and sleeves, c. 1905-1910
Aesthetic/Japonisme dress, Liberty & Co., gray silk crepe with embroidered mauve satin panels, 1906, front view
Aesthetic/Japonisme dress, Liberty & Co., gray silk crepe with embroidered mauve satin panels, 1906
Suit, green wool with braid and velvet, c. 1906, front view
Suit, green wool with braid and velvet, c. 1906
Man’s wedding vest, white and cream silk , 1907, front view
Man’s wedding vest, white and cream silk, 1907
Wedding dress, pale green silk crepe with silver satin, pont d’esprit, and lace, with matching gray shoes with steel-cut beads, 1907, front view
Wedding dress, pale green silk crepe with silver satin, pont d’esprit, and lace, with matching gray shoes with steel-cut beads, 1907
Dress, cream wool trimmed with lace, pink velvet, and multi-colored machine embroidery, 1908, front view
Dress, cream wool trimmed with lace, pink velvet, and multi-colored machine embroidery, 1908
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