Frock Coat thumbnail 1
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Frock Coat

1820-1830 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Frock coats, which had full length front panels, were originally a style worn for country sports and walking or travelling, from the 18th century. By the early 19th century, fashionable coats for men were completely cut away in front, offering little protection or warmth, so by the 1820s, the frock coat style was also used for formal and urban daywear.

This fine example in beige wool has a practical cape over the shoulders and a velvet collar. It is constructed with a waist seam, which tailors introduced in the 1820s, enabling the development of different styles, sometimes with greater fullness in coat skirts.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Wool, trimmed with silk velvet, lined with silk, hand-sewn
Brief description
Man's frock coat, 1820-1830, English, wool, silk, and velvet
Physical description
The coat has a cut silk velvet collar and fastens with silk-covered buttons. There is a waist seam and a centre back vent with two pockets on either side. The cuffs have a two-button fly opening. The edges are trimmed with beige twilled silk.
Credit line
Given by Mr Talbot Hughes
Summary
Frock coats, which had full length front panels, were originally a style worn for country sports and walking or travelling, from the 18th century. By the early 19th century, fashionable coats for men were completely cut away in front, offering little protection or warmth, so by the 1820s, the frock coat style was also used for formal and urban daywear.

This fine example in beige wool has a practical cape over the shoulders and a velvet collar. It is constructed with a waist seam, which tailors introduced in the 1820s, enabling the development of different styles, sometimes with greater fullness in coat skirts.
Collection
Accession number
T.294-1910

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
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