Monstrous Seahorse in Lime Green & Gold McCord It was the severe lines

It was the severe lines that attracted me to this dress

the originals were of painted kid leather

this version in pinks is held by the Museum at FIT (accession P77

an evening dress by ‘Thurn’ of New York and Paris from 1920-1925

Monstrous Seahorse in Lime Green & Gold McCord It was the severe linesYou are probably looking at this creature and thinking, Judith, thats clearly a Hippocampus, and you would be correct! But the book I found it in called it Equus marinus monstrosus, which translates as Monstrous seahorse. And who can resist a name like that? The book is the delightfully named Monstrorum historia, or History of Monsters, by Ulisse Aldrovandi; it dates from 1642. My monstrous seahorse is 4. 75 inches wide, stitched by hand on 5x7 inch