Man's court coat, waistcoat and breeches, 1790-95, French; brown striped silk, embroidered, pink silk and machine net appliqué, altered 1870-1890

Man’s court coat, waistcoat and breeches; the coat is made of brown silk, striped with taffeta and satin weave. It has a 2⅞-inch (7.3 cm) standing collar, curving 2-piece sleeves that end in cuffs, 4⅜ inches (11 cm) deep. The fronts curve from neck to hem, with pleats 3½ inches (9 cm) deep, beside the centre-back opening. Each front has a pocket and pointed pocket flap. The waistcoat, sleeves and pocket flaps are lined with white silk twill, the pockets with bleached linen. The coat is appliquéd with pink silk and warp frame-made net and embroidered-to-shape with opaque white pastes, silver spangles and silk floss in white, blue, green and shades of brown, in a pattern of flowers, on the collar, cuffs and pocket flaps, around the pockets, along the front edges and hems, side pleats and centre-back opening. There are 9 embroidered buttons on the right front edge, 3 below each pocket and 3 on each cuff. The fronts fasten with 2 pairs of hooks & eyes at mid-chest.

The waistcoat has a round neckline, curving fronts and skirts reaching to the top of the thigh. The fronts are made of ivory silk taffeta, the back of ivory silk twill. The waistcoat is lined with fustian; the skirt and pocket flap linings and front facings are white silk twill, the pocket linings of bleached linen. The waistcoat is appliquéd with pink silk and warp frame-made net and embroidered-to-shape with opaque white pastes, silver spangles and silk floss in white, blue, green and shades of brown, in a pattern of flowers, on the pocket flaps and front collars and along the front edges and hems. There are 12 worked buttonholes along the left front, the top 2 uncut, with 12 corresponding embroidered buttons on the right front.

The breeches comprise 2 fronts, two backs and 2 waistbands of the brown silk, striped with taffeta and satin weave. There is a watch pocket in each front waistband. The breeches close with buttoned front waistbands and a fall front. The waistbands and pockets are lined with fustian, the fall front with white silk twill. Three self-covered buttons fasten the front waistbands and 2 the fall front. There are 3 worked buttonholes and 3 embroidered buttons on the outside of each leg above the knee. The knee bands are embroidered with silver spangles and white.

The ensemble was altered in the 19th century, probably for theatre costume. The pleats of the coat were rearranged and stitched down, the lining patched. The centre-back seam of the waistcoat was unpicked, the edges hemmed and 2 linen ties added to each side. The waist of the breeches was enlarged at the back buttons added to the top of the waistbands, probably for suspenders/braces.

Buttons embroidered with floss silk, glass paste and silver spangles (or sequins) form an integral part of the fine needlework on this 1790s man’s court coat. They act as ‘punctuation marks’ echoing the elements of the overall embroidered decoration. The striped brown silk of the coat has been appliquéd with undulating bands of pink silk, overlaid with an early machine net (made on a warp frame). Over this ground springs a pattern of leafy sprays worked in coloured silks, glass paste and spangles. Embroidery samples at the Musée Historique des Tissus, in Lyon, France show several similar patterns using a net overlay on dark striped silks.

106-1891