Pocket thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Pocket

1800-1830 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

During the 19th century, most fashionable gowns had pockets sewn into the seams of the skirt. Separate pockets were worn mainly by young girls, older women and working class women. They were also a feature of ethnic or regional costume.
This silk pocket was purchased in 1907 from a Russian dealer, along with a collection of other textiles from Russia. At the time it was thought to date from the reign of Catherine the Great (1762–1796). However, the style of the embroidery suggests a date in the early 19th century. The silk fabric is woven with a wide stripe of moiré (watered silk) and a narrow one of twill. A pattern of leaves and roses covers most of the pocket. A view of the back shows how bright the pink binding was originally. The front of the pocket is badly faded possibly due to overexposure to light.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk and linen, hand-sewn with silk and linen threads, embroidered with silk and bound with ribbon
Brief description
Pocket, 1800-1830, Russia, embroidered with a floral pattern
Physical description
A pocket made of silk with a wide stripe of watered silk and a narrower one of twill. It is embroidered with a pattern of leaves and flowers in green, brown, white and pink silk and bound with pink silk thread. There is no tie.
Dimensions
  • Length: 31.8cm (Note: Measurement converted from department registers)
  • Width: 26.7cm (Note: Measurement converted from department registers)
Object history
Purchased in 1907 from a Russian dealer with other textiles from Russian.
Summary
During the 19th century, most fashionable gowns had pockets sewn into the seams of the skirt. Separate pockets were worn mainly by young girls, older women and working class women. They were also a feature of ethnic or regional costume.
This silk pocket was purchased in 1907 from a Russian dealer, along with a collection of other textiles from Russia. At the time it was thought to date from the reign of Catherine the Great (1762–1796). However, the style of the embroidery suggests a date in the early 19th century. The silk fabric is woven with a wide stripe of moiré (watered silk) and a narrow one of twill. A pattern of leaves and roses covers most of the pocket. A view of the back shows how bright the pink binding was originally. The front of the pocket is badly faded possibly due to overexposure to light.
Collection
Accession number
492-1907

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Record createdDecember 20, 2004
Record URL
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