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Smock Frock

1779 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Man's smock frock of brown linen. Made from a single length of material with no shoulder seam but with a slight shaping at the neck. Slit up the front and fastens with seven buttons. The buttons appear to be of a later date. The sleeves, cut from half-widths of material, are set-in square at the shoulder but with square gussets under the arms, and gussets are also inset at the wrist. The cuffs fasten with single buttons. The shoulders are reinforced with oblong panels (8.5 inches x 3.75 inches) applied on the outside and over sewn lengthways at 0.75 inch intervals. The collar is in two oblong pieces and lies over the shoulders. Two large patch pockets, attached to the inside of the smock, are reached through slits in the side seams.

The fullness of the material is controlled by panels of fine and tight smocking worked in linen thread in feather and overcast stitches. At the neck, are two 2.5 inches panels on either side of the front opening, and one 6 inches panel in the centre back. On the sleeves, a 2.25 inches panel at the shoulders, and a 4 inches panel at the wrist.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Linen
Brief description
Man's smock frock of linen, Mayfield, East Sussex, 1779
Physical description
Man's smock frock of brown linen. Made from a single length of material with no shoulder seam but with a slight shaping at the neck. Slit up the front and fastens with seven buttons. The buttons appear to be of a later date. The sleeves, cut from half-widths of material, are set-in square at the shoulder but with square gussets under the arms, and gussets are also inset at the wrist. The cuffs fasten with single buttons. The shoulders are reinforced with oblong panels (8.5 inches x 3.75 inches) applied on the outside and over sewn lengthways at 0.75 inch intervals. The collar is in two oblong pieces and lies over the shoulders. Two large patch pockets, attached to the inside of the smock, are reached through slits in the side seams.

The fullness of the material is controlled by panels of fine and tight smocking worked in linen thread in feather and overcast stitches. At the neck, are two 2.5 inches panels on either side of the front opening, and one 6 inches panel in the centre back. On the sleeves, a 2.25 inches panel at the shoulders, and a 4 inches panel at the wrist.
Dimensions
  • Length: 36in
  • Length: 91.4cm
  • Shoulders width: 23in
  • Shoulders width: 60cm
Credit line
Purchased from the Estate of the late W. L. Taylor, Esq.
Collection
Accession number
T.67-1968

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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