Sack thumbnail 1
Sack thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Fashion, Room 40

Sack

1750s (embroidery), 1750s (sewing), 1780s (altered), 1870 - 1910 (altered)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A woman's sack and panel from the petticoat of blue ribbed silk, embroidered to shape in a tree-of-life pattern in shades of blue and white. The sack is open at the front with robings to the waist and elbow-length sleeves. The bodice has a half-stomacher each side of the front. The bodice back and sleeves are lined with blue striped linen; the bodice fronts with plain linen. The back of the bodice lining is open down the centre, with 17 worked eyelets either side and narrow linen-tape lacing. There are two double box pleats at the back, stitched at the back neck. The sack is made of 2 widths of silk with 2 partial panels and a triangular gore either side of the front. A waist seam runs from the front openings to the bodice side back seams. The skirts are flat pleated into the waist seam along the front, with pocket openings in the side seams. The right front of the skirt is faced with blue silk taffeta (this has been removed on the left front). The hem is faced with a deep band of linen. The skirts robings, wide at the hem and narrowing to the waist, are embroidered.

All that remains of the petticoat is the central panel, one width of silk with the tree-of-life embroidery arranged in a triangular shape.

The ensemble was probably made as a sack and petticoat in the 1750s. In the 1780s, the sack was updated in style. A waistseam was probably added, the skirts reconfigured, and sleeve ruffles removed. The half-stomachers were added at this time and the bodice fronts relined. The back lacing was reconfigured and more eyelets worked.

The ensemble was altered for fancy dress in the late 19th century. Hooks and eyes were added to the bodice stomacher fronts and machine-lace ruffles to the sleeves. The petticoat may have been unpicked at this point.

The petticoat was gathered onto a cotton band after acquisition for Museum display.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Sack
  • Petticoat Panel
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, silk thread, linen thread; hand-woven, hand-embroidered, hand-sewn
Brief description
A woman's sack and petticoat, 1750s, French, altered 1780s; Blue ribbed silk, Chinese?, blue & white floral embroidered skirt robings, French; 1750s; altered 1870-1910
Physical description
A woman's sack and panel from the petticoat of blue ribbed silk, embroidered to shape in a tree-of-life pattern in shades of blue and white. The sack is open at the front with robings to the waist and elbow-length sleeves. The bodice has a half-stomacher each side of the front. The bodice back and sleeves are lined with blue striped linen; the bodice fronts with plain linen. The back of the bodice lining is open down the centre, with 17 worked eyelets either side and narrow linen-tape lacing. There are two double box pleats at the back, stitched at the back neck. The sack is made of 2 widths of silk with 2 partial panels and a triangular gore either side of the front. A waist seam runs from the front openings to the bodice side back seams. The skirts are flat pleated into the waist seam along the front, with pocket openings in the side seams. The right front of the skirt is faced with blue silk taffeta (this has been removed on the left front). The hem is faced with a deep band of linen. The skirts robings, wide at the hem and narrowing to the waist, are embroidered.

All that remains of the petticoat is the central panel, one width of silk with the tree-of-life embroidery arranged in a triangular shape.

The ensemble was probably made as a sack and petticoat in the 1750s. In the 1780s, the sack was updated in style. A waistseam was probably added, the skirts reconfigured, and sleeve ruffles removed. The half-stomachers were added at this time and the bodice fronts relined. The back lacing was reconfigured and more eyelets worked.

The ensemble was altered for fancy dress in the late 19th century. Hooks and eyes were added to the bodice stomacher fronts and machine-lace ruffles to the sleeves. The petticoat may have been unpicked at this point.

The petticoat was gathered onto a cotton band after acquisition for Museum display.
Dimensions
  • Silk, selvedge to selvedge width: 73.0cm
  • Width of petticoat selvedge to selvedge width: 72.5cm (Note: Measured by conservation.)
  • Height of petticoat, from raw edge at top to hem height: 100cm (Note: Measured by conservation.)
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Bequeathed by Emily Beauclerk
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.157-1920

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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