Corsets , by Jill Salen

How amazing to have a copy of this specialist book - signed by the author!

Progressing through almost two centuries of corset-making, this fascinating collection showcases an astonishing range of period pieces, from the 1750 whale-boned corsets, through the invention of the sewing machine and mass-produced corsets of the 1850s to the makeshift corsets of World War One.

Reflecting the changing fashions and attitudes of women throughout the centuries, the collection includes corsets for pregnancy, riding corsets for sportswomen and hard-wearing corsets for housemaids. There are even corsets for small children and their dolls.

Each corset features an annotated pattern, a detailed drawing and close-up photography so any historical detail can be captured accurately by the maker. A brief overview places the corset within its historical context.


Author Jill Salen is a retired lecturer and author of Corsets published in 2008, Vintage Lingerie: Historical Patterns and Techniques (2011) and Vintage Swimwear: Historical Patterns and Techniques (2013). She discovered the Fairlynch Costume collection in 2018 when researching her next book and became a volunteer after retiring to Budleigh Salterton the following year.

We are very grateful to Jill for allowing us to sell her books for the benefit of the Fairlynch Museum.

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