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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;2manybooks, post: 1533056, member: 8267&quot;]The timing of the jewelry is an interesting conundrum.</p><p>The quote from the New York Times, &quot;her jewelry was the simple diamond&quot;, would indicate that different jewelry was actually worn at the ball.</p><p><br /></p><p>I would suggest that there is no necessity for the photographs of either of the purported ball gowns to have been made on the day of the ball. In fact, it is quite unlikely, as the couple would have been very busy with other matters. It may be that the official portraits were made later in Lincoln&#039;s term, and Mary chose to wear the fine jewelry that she had since received. Unfortunately, it seems that Mathew Brady did not keep records adequate to identifying the specific day the photograph was taken.</p><p><br /></p><p>Be that as it may, the dress described by those present at the inaugural ball is not inconsistent with the last one I posted above. &quot;A low-necked lavender silk&quot;, &quot;with a beautiful wreath, rising infant like a crown upon her head&quot;, &quot;blue silk, trimmed with point d&#039; Alencon lace&quot;. I think the major disagreement rests on the misinterpretation of the color as represented in the photograph, which as I have explained is an artifact of the photographic process.</p><p><br /></p><p>These descriptions, at least, do not mention a &quot;lace collar&quot;. Donna on the symposium mentions a &quot;lace cape&quot;, without a citation. But there might have been a separate cape, such as shown on one of the women in the bottom row in the Leslie&#039;s Newspaper image above.</p><p><br /></p><p>P.S. I now understand that you are probably &quot;Donna&quot;. See my next post.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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