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Coat thumbnail 2
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Not currently on display at the V&A

Coat

1780s (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A man’s court coat and waistcoat; the coat of silk velvet (once turquoise, but now almost completely changed to pale green) with a 2¾-inch (7 cm) standing collar and curving 2-piece sleeves end in cuffs, 5¼ (13.4 cm) inches deep. The fronts curve from neck to hem with pleats 3¾ inches (9.4 cm) deep, below the hip set beside the centre back. Each front has a pocket with scalloped pocket flap; the centre-back seam is open below the hip. The coat is embroidered with silver thread, purl and spangles, and glass pastes, in a pattern of large floral sprays, on the collar, cuffs and pocket flaps, along the front edges, pleats and centre-back opening and around the pockets. There are 8 embroidered buttons along the right front edge, 2 on each cuff, 3 below each pocket and 1 at the top of the pleats.

The waistcoat fronts are made of white silk satin with a round neck and 2-inch (5cm) standing collar, curving fronts and skirts beige reaching the top of the thigh. Each front has a pocket and scalloped pocket flap. The back and front linings are unbleached linen. The fronts are faced, skirts and pocket flaps lined with white silk satin. There are 8 worked buttonholes along the left front and 8 corresponding embroidered buttons on the right front, and 2 pair of linen ties at the back.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Coat
  • Waistcoat
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, silver, glass; hand-woven, hand-embroidered, hand-sewn
Brief description
Man's court coat and waistcoat, French, 1780s; turquoise (now faded) silk velvet, cream silk, embroidred with silver thread, spangles, pastes
Physical description
A man’s court coat and waistcoat; the coat of silk velvet (once turquoise, but now almost completely changed to pale green) with a 2¾-inch (7 cm) standing collar and curving 2-piece sleeves end in cuffs, 5¼ (13.4 cm) inches deep. The fronts curve from neck to hem with pleats 3¾ inches (9.4 cm) deep, below the hip set beside the centre back. Each front has a pocket with scalloped pocket flap; the centre-back seam is open below the hip. The coat is embroidered with silver thread, purl and spangles, and glass pastes, in a pattern of large floral sprays, on the collar, cuffs and pocket flaps, along the front edges, pleats and centre-back opening and around the pockets. There are 8 embroidered buttons along the right front edge, 2 on each cuff, 3 below each pocket and 1 at the top of the pleats.

The waistcoat fronts are made of white silk satin with a round neck and 2-inch (5cm) standing collar, curving fronts and skirts beige reaching the top of the thigh. Each front has a pocket and scalloped pocket flap. The back and front linings are unbleached linen. The fronts are faced, skirts and pocket flaps lined with white silk satin. There are 8 worked buttonholes along the left front and 8 corresponding embroidered buttons on the right front, and 2 pair of linen ties at the back.
Association
Bibliographic reference
Avril Hart and Susan North, Historical Fashion in Detail: the 17th and 18th centuries, London: V&A, 1998, p. 146
Collection
Accession number
1611&A-1900

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Record createdJuly 20, 2007
Record URL
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