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SOLD Victorian Skirt Lift or Cycle Lift Device - White metal
A vintage skirt lifter - dating from around 1900s - these were used by ladies to lift long skirts when crossing the road, dancing or when riding a bicycle.
The lift is called 'The Superior' and is made of silver plate. It has a small clip at one end which attaches to your skirt waistband- the clip is attached by a link chain to the clip at the other end which attaches to the hem of the skirt. The clip mechanism has a flick catch which opens to reveal two round pads which clip onto the skirt hem.Length is approx 8 1/2 inches long from end to end including the chain and width at the clip clasp is approx 1 inch.
The clip is in good condition with the mechanism in good working order and closing tightly. There are some minor surface scratches and on one end the silver plate is worn. A rare hard to find skirt lifter - this is genuine Victorian item - great for collectors of vintage clothing and accessories.
More information about skirt lifters or 'Pages'
You have to think back to the etiquette and the road conditions of the nineteenth century to understand why a device such as a skirt lifter would be necessary. There were no tarmac surfaces and drainage of the roads was also not as we know it today. Garbage would litter the streets and the full skirted and very costly frocks of that time were easily soiled. You must remember too that washing techniques were basic and garments were often kept for a long while. By the last quarter of the nineteenth century those clever Victorians had come up with a little gadget to hold up the skirt. By inventing the 'Page' or skirt lifting device they helped ladies to preserve the fabric of their delicate frocks and to maintain them in a cleaner condition. The Victorian Skirt lifter was an odd device, scissor like with pivoted arms and a cushioned grip. This grip would be closed and released by the sliding of a device at the top of the skirt lifter. An added bonus of using the cushion grip would mean that hands did not touch the delicate fabric higher up the skirt so again less laundry and wear. In common with all Victorian inventions the skirt lifter was often a patented device and one of the most common patents was the Fyfes Patent.
The lift is called 'The Superior' and is made of silver plate. It has a small clip at one end which attaches to your skirt waistband- the clip is attached by a link chain to the clip at the other end which attaches to the hem of the skirt. The clip mechanism has a flick catch which opens to reveal two round pads which clip onto the skirt hem.Length is approx 8 1/2 inches long from end to end including the chain and width at the clip clasp is approx 1 inch.
The clip is in good condition with the mechanism in good working order and closing tightly. There are some minor surface scratches and on one end the silver plate is worn. A rare hard to find skirt lifter - this is genuine Victorian item - great for collectors of vintage clothing and accessories.
More information about skirt lifters or 'Pages'
You have to think back to the etiquette and the road conditions of the nineteenth century to understand why a device such as a skirt lifter would be necessary. There were no tarmac surfaces and drainage of the roads was also not as we know it today. Garbage would litter the streets and the full skirted and very costly frocks of that time were easily soiled. You must remember too that washing techniques were basic and garments were often kept for a long while. By the last quarter of the nineteenth century those clever Victorians had come up with a little gadget to hold up the skirt. By inventing the 'Page' or skirt lifting device they helped ladies to preserve the fabric of their delicate frocks and to maintain them in a cleaner condition. The Victorian Skirt lifter was an odd device, scissor like with pivoted arms and a cushioned grip. This grip would be closed and released by the sliding of a device at the top of the skirt lifter. An added bonus of using the cushion grip would mean that hands did not touch the delicate fabric higher up the skirt so again less laundry and wear. In common with all Victorian inventions the skirt lifter was often a patented device and one of the most common patents was the Fyfes Patent.
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