Jacket
- Place of origin:
England, Great Britain (made)
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
- Materials and Techniques:
- Credit Line:
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
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This child's jacket was in the possession of the family of Lord Portsmouth. Traditionally it is said to have belonged to the English king Charles II (1630-1685) when he was a child, but there is no evidence for this.
The construction is very similar to adult jackets worn domestically during the same period. The jacket is knitted in stocking stitch with bands of geometric motifs in plain and purl. The front edges are in garter stitch, rolled over and sewn to keep them flat. False seam lines were knitted into the interior to mimic those found in sewn jackets. In fact, the only seams are along the shoulders, which are joined by casting the front and back stitches off together.
Physical description
Baby's jacket hand-knitted in stocking stitch from cream-coloured two-ply cotton. It is decorated with bands of geometric motifs in plain and purl.
Place of Origin
England, Great Britain (made)
Date
17th century (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Hand knitted cotton
Dimensions
Length: 23 cm neck to hem, Width: 40 cm arms outstretched
Object history note
Historical significance: The jacket is said to have belonged to Charles II as a child and was in the possession of the family of Lord Portsmouth.
Descriptive line
Baby's jacket, hand-knitted two-ply cotton, English, 17th century
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Hinchcliffe, Frances. Knit One, Purl One: Historic and Contemporary Knitting from the V&A's Collection London : Precision Press, 1985. Page 11.
Exhibition History
Knit One, Purl One (Victoria and Albert Museum 01/01/1985-31/12/1985)
Labels and date
2. BABY'S JACKET
Hand-knitted two-ply cotton
English, 17th to 18th century
The jacket was knitted in one piece in the round and was then slit down the front and the raw edges hemmed. The shoulders were joined by casting off the front and back stitches together. It is knitted in stocking stitch with bands of geometric patterning in plain and purl, and the false seam lines are knitted in.
A number of these beautifully worked jackets have survived, many of them with 17th century associations - this one was said to have belonged to Charles II as a child.
Given by Miss Joan D Parkes
T.30-1932 [1985]
Materials
Cotton
Techniques
Hand knitting
Categories
Children's clothes
Collection code
T&F
