In the 1960s if you wanted to wear something with a dramatic flare then you chose the work of Ronald Amey. He was known for his original use of fabrics and colors and his dresses were priced into the thousands even in the 1960s. His career was very short-lived. From 1959-1969 he designed under the label Burke-Amey. Joseph Burke, his partner, took care of the business side of things. In 1970s he bought out Burke and renamed the company Ronald Amey where he continued to produce his dramatic clothing until the label shuttered in 1976. His clothing was of very high quality and he incorporated many couture level details into their construction. All of his pieces were sewn in-house at his New York atelier

One of his signatures was to combine prints, fabrics and detailing embellishments in interesting, unusual ways and this dress is a wonderful example of that. This is an absolutely beautiful dress and I think that in person it is even better. The bodice is cut to curve around the body and then it is cinched in at the waist area. The sleeves are spectacular and each is cut to be full and voluminous. The skirt also has volume and is cut in a wide curve that billows out and away from the body. The base fabric is a printed silk organza. This choice of fabric allowed him to give the sleeves the volume you see but it also keeps the dress light in weight. The neckline is high and the detailing on it runs wide across the tops of the shoulders. That metallic band that Amey used to detail the dress is fantastic. It is a lattice made of silver metal thread that has little eyelash tufts attached to it. This is then bordered by a band of gold and silver thread. This curves around the neckline and then down the front all the way to the hem of the skirt. More of this silver and gold detailing runs around the hem, the waist and then is used again for the cuffs on each sleeve. Big dome buttons that are wrapped in a gold metal thread sit at the back of the neck and on each cuffs. Excellent condition with one minor note below.

Fully lined in a pale ice white blue silk throughout. Entirely hand finished. It closes with a back zipper and two gold buttons at the neck. Each cuff has three gold metal dome buttons and loops. There is one gold bead missing on the top button at the back of the neck otherwise the dress appears to have been worn very little if at all. The dress is even better in person. The length will land from midi to just above the ankle depending on your height

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 36" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3481

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

In the 1960s if you wanted to wear something with a dramatic flare then you chose the work of Ronald Amey. He was known for his original use of fabrics and colors and his dresses were priced into the thousands even in the 1960s. His career was very short-lived. From 1959-1969 he designed under the label Burke-Amey. Joseph Burke, his partner, took care of the business side of things. In 1970s he bought out Burke and renamed the company Ronald Amey where he continued to produce his dramatic clothing until the label shuttered in 1976. His clothing was of very high quality and he incorporated many couture level details into their construction. All of his pieces were sewn in-house at his New York atelier

One of his signatures was to combine bold colors, prints and fabrics in interesting, unusual ways and this dress is a splendid example of that. The colors are bold and the mix is dramatic. The bodice and sleeves are sheer orange printed silk chiffon that is layered over the same printed coral ribbon silk that you see used for the skirt. This gives the top a very couture and quirky feel. The neckline is cut wide across the collarbones and it is anchored by a wide band of blue silk satin that is top-stitched in gold thread. This curves around the neckline and then down the front on either side of the notched front. The panel continues past the seamed waist and runs down the center of the skirt where it ends with a large diamond of the same fabric in brown. More of the blue runs around the hem and then is used again for the cuffs on each sleeve. The combination of the orange, coral and blue is spectacular . The heavy dose of all those prints, colors and patterns should not work but it does. The perfect finish is the wide fabric belt made of the same blue as the banding and this wraps around the waist where you can cinch it in and leave it simple as I did or tie it in a far more elaborate way. The exterior is in excellent condition with a note about the lining to review below.

Fully lined in a bright peach silk throughout. Entirely hand finished. It closes with a front zipper and there are zippers on each cuff. The zippers stick a bit when you open and close them. There is shattering of the silk around each arm on the interior. The exterior fabrics are sound and show no wear at all. The exterior of the dress appears to have been worm very little. The dress is even better in person.

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15.5" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 40.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3478

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.