Adopt an Artwork

Contribute to iconic Toledo history by supporting the conservation of the only full-spun glass fiber dress by Libbey Glass remaining in the world. Give a little or give a lot – Libbey Inc. is generously matching our crowdfunding campaign!

Donate now: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/toledo-museum-of-art/adopt-an-artwork-libbey-dress

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This dress made from glass thread cloth woven by Libbey Glass Company is constructed from fine spun glass filament interwoven with silk yarn. Over the years, some of the glass fibers have become brittle and broken into tiny shards. The silk has also deteriorated, with the fibers breaking along the weave so that the weight of the fabric—particularly of the skirt—is too much for the remaining fibers to support. 

Conservation will take place in phases. Phase 1 involves intensive research and analysis, including analytical testing of glass fibers and silk to determine material composition and deterioration, and travel to examine the other two existing examples of spun glass dresses from the same period (one in New Brunswick, Canada, and the second Libbey dress in Munich, Germany).