Australian Dress Register

Christian Frederick Kaltenbacher was born in 1852 in Germany died in 1921 in Sydney NSW. He married Jane Rance who was born in 1851 in England and died in 1938 in Sydney NSW. Their children were Christian 1882-1970, Ferdinand 1885-1966, Greta 1890-1953, Otto 1892-1970, Valdena 1896-1968.

Ferdinand married Freda Catts in 1907 - their only child Ronald was born in 1907 in Sydney NSW.

Ronald married Constance Scanlon in Sydney in 1935 and died at Wauchope, NSW in 1969. Ronald and Constance had three children, Dorothy 1938-2010, Ronald 1941-1942 and Robyn 1944-.

There are photographs of Ronald Kaltenbacher wearing the gown in 1907 and of Dorothy Kaltenbacher wearing the gown in 1938. It may have been worn by all of Jane and Christian's five children, but the donor does not believe that it was worn by any of their descendants, except by those descended from Jane and Christian's second eldest son Ferdinand. Ferdinand's son Ronald, born in 1907, was Jane and Christian's first grandchild.

The Kaltenbacher [later changed to Kaltenbach] family migrated to Australia from the United Kingdom in 1886. Christian Wilhelm Kaltenbacher was a tailor and both his son Ferdinand and grandson Ronald followed in his footsteps. This christening gown and some tailoring items are amongst a number of family possessions that were packed up and brought to Australia with the family. Like many migrant families, they left behind other family members and possessions and created their own traditions, history and heirlooms in their new country.

The Kaltenbach famiily used this christening gown for three generations however with both of Ronald's daughters never marrying and never having children they were faced with the dilemma of what to do with their family heirloom, this christening gown. Whilst women not marrying or bearing children is not new, families are becoming smaller, more women are choosing for whatever reason not to marry or bear children and therefore there are fewer family members to carry on family traditions, family names and to hand down family heirlooms to. Ironically this family heirloom associated with birth and the rite or ritual of passage of baptism will no longer be a family heirloom because there are no more family members to pass it on to.

Information and photographs provided by Robyn Kaltenbach, 2012

www.ancestry.com.au

www.bdm.nsw.gov.au

www.littledoves.co.uk History of Christening Gowns

www.fashion-era.com - Christening Fashions in the Victoria Era

www.powerhousemueum.com - Collection database

www.wikipeadia.org - Rite of Passage and Spinster

This garment has not yet been exhibited.

Broderie anglaise strips 30mm wide are inserted in the front panel below every five tucks. The front panel fans out from 120mm at the waist to 520mm at the hem. The gown has capped sleeves made from a single piece of broderie anglais fabric, and there are three 30mm wide broderie anglais insertions placed vertically in the bodice and flounces of broderie anglais stitched from the waist, over the shoulders and fastened at the back neck edges. A single flounce of broderie anglaise finishes the gown at the hemline.

Narrow silk ribbon is encased within the batiste gown at the neck and waist to fasten the gown

A fine narrow lace, 10mm wide is used as a trim at the neck above the encased ribbon drawstring

Forty nine tucks, each 5mm wide in the front panel; three tucks at the lower edge of skirt

Feather stitch at neckline, along vertical edges of front panel and on the bodice

The gown is made from fine white cotton batiste with white cotton broderie anglais used to embellish the front bodice, front centre panel, sleeves and hemline.

Very narrow,2mm silk ribbons are encased as drawstrings at the waist and neck.

A fine lace frill, 10mm wide is used as a trim at the neck edge.

All the tucks and seams are hand stitched with very fine cotton thread. Feather stitch embroidery is hand sewn in a fine embroidery cotton.

The gown is fastened by narrow silk ribbons drawn through encasements at the neck and waist.

Whilst pregnancy and birth were quiet private occasions for the Victorians, the whole family looked forward to the christening as an event of public celebration. The Church insisted that babies were christened in a white garment as a symbol of purity and innocence.

Christening robes of the 18th century were made of embroidered and trimmed silk or satin and by the 19th century white embroidery on fine cotton lawns, or fine linens was the fashionable garment of choice.

Expectant mothers usually made one beautiful christening gown whilst they had the time awaiting the birth of their first child. Although many women had access to sewing machines by this time, most preferred to hand sew their christening gowns. Perhaps because it was such a small garment it could be comfortably moved from room to room in a needlework bag similar to other small embroidery work.

Once used and admired along with the new baby, the christening gown would be packed away and carefully stored for the next occasion, usually used for every baby a mother bore. Well-made christening gowns were also handed down through the generations, becoming a family heirloom.

In the mid to late Victorian era the christening gown skirts were lavishly decorated with pin tucks and lace insertions. The bodices of this era were often decorated with white embroidery.

Ronald and Constance Kaltenbacher and their children Dorothy and Robyn moved to Wauchope NSW in 1952 where Ronald purchased a tailoring business. The Port Macquarie Historical Society holds a number of items associated with Ron Kaltenbach's tailoring business which was located in Cameron Street and later in High Street, Wauchope from 1952 until Ron's death in 1969.

Darn in right bodice at back

Some evidence of fabric damage by insects