Jacket
- Place of origin:
England, Great Britain (made)
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
- Materials and Techniques:
Fustian handsewn with linen thread, embroidered with silver thread and spangles, and edged with silver bobbin lace and spangles
- Credit Line:
Purchased with the assistance of The Art Fund
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 56e, case 9
- Download image
The high waist and full sleeves set into the back of this jacket are characteristic of women’s dress of the 1630s. The style of embroidery is quite unusual: a striking design of meandering lines rather than the naturalistic floral patterns typically seen on this type of garment. This abstract design is probably imitating the ‘wave and flower’ patterns of Italian woven silks of the 1620s and 1630s. Also unusual is the jacket’s modest fabric; a mix of cotton and linen, called fustian, which was normally used for lining doublets and breeches. The embroidery, however, is carried out in silver thread and embellished with silver bobbin lace and silver spangles.
Physical description
A woman's jacket of fustian with high waist, very full sleeves set into the back and narrow shoulder wings. The whole garment is worked in chain stitch in silver thread. The embroidery design consists of meandering lines and a motif resembling a sycamore seed case, embellished with spangles. The neck, front and lower hem are edged with a simple bobbin lace of silver thread and spangles.
Place of Origin
England, Great Britain (made)
Date
1630-1640 (made)
Artist/maker
unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Fustian handsewn with linen thread, embroidered with silver thread and spangles, and edged with silver bobbin lace and spangles
Dimensions
Length: 59.0 cm approx., Circumference: 89.0 cm approx. at bust
Object history note
The jacket is from the Chaffyn Grove family. In 1686, John Grove married Mary Chaffyn, inheriting Zeals house from her and their descendants took the name Chaffyn Grove. The jacket was once said to have been given to Mary Grove by Charles II, but is clearly of an earlier date. In the 19th century, a female successory married into the Troyte Bullock family.
Historical significance: This is a fine example of informal women's dress in the 1630s. While embroidered linen jackets of the period 1600-1650 survive in museum collections and appear in portraiture, this is an unusual example. The rather coarse fustian, normally used for linings, has been richly embellished with silver thread, spangles and lace. The rather abstract design of needlework differs from the floral patterns typical of the period.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
John L. Nevinson, English Embroidered Costume Elizabeth and James I -- Part I, The Connoisseur, Vol. XCVII, 1936, p.24-5.
Catalogue of the Exhibition of English Needlework (Past and Present) in aid of the Artists' General Benevolent Institution February 19th-March 12th, 1934, p.53
391p Jacket, embroidered with silver lace and spangles, and presented by Charles II to Mary Grove of Zeal's House. Lent by Lt.-Col. E.G. Troyte Bullock of Zeal's House
Materials
Silver thread; Spangles; Bobbin lace; Fustian
Techniques
Embroidering; Hand sewing; Lace making
Categories
Embroidery; Fashion
Collection code
T&D
