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Coat

ca. 1750 (made), 1770s (weaving), 1770 - 1775 (sewing)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A man's coat and breeches of silk figured in a design of tiny flower sprays in green, red and black on a striped ground of pale green, pink and white. The coat has a round neck with a standing collar (2.5 cm). The shaped, two-piece sleeves extend to the wrist with a round cuff. The coat fronts curve from neck to hem, with skirts below the hip, set in pleats (10 cm) at the side. There is an inverted pleat on each side of the centre-back opening. There is a scalloped pocket flap on each coat front at hip level. The sleeves and pockets are lined with fine bleached linen; the rest of the coat with green silk twill. There are 11 large passementerie buttons, embroidered with silver purl and set with red and blue paste, on the right front, from neck to pocket flap, with 11 corresponding buttonholes, worked in mixed white, red, green and black silk twist, on the left front. There are 3 buttons under each pocket, 3 on each cuff, one at the top of the pleats on each side, one holding them at the hem (missing on the right side), and one in the middle of the side pleats (missing on the right side).

The breeches are made of 2 leg fronts, 2 leg backs and 2 waistbands, all cut from the figured silk. The leg backs are cut higher than the fronts and gathered into the back of the waistbands. The breeches have a fall front. There is a pocket in the front of the right and the left waistband; one with a pocket flap below the waistband on each side, and one in the right side seam. The pockets are lined with fustian, the waistbands with linen and the fall-front flap with green silk twill. The legs are unlined and the centre front and back seams and inside seams are covered with linen tape. The waistbands fasten in front with grey silk passementerie buttons, and at the back with buckle bands. The pocket flaps each fasten with a silk-covered button, and the fall-front flap with a small passementerie and paste button on each side. Four of this type of button also fasten the outside legs above the knee, on each leg, with a buckle band at the bottom.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Coat
  • Breeches
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, silk thread, linen thread, silverwire, glass paste; hand-woven, hand-embroidery, hand-sewn
Brief description
A man's coat and breeches, 1770-75, English; figured silk, pink and white striped ground with floral sprays, 1770s, French or English
Physical description
A man's coat and breeches of silk figured in a design of tiny flower sprays in green, red and black on a striped ground of pale green, pink and white. The coat has a round neck with a standing collar (2.5 cm). The shaped, two-piece sleeves extend to the wrist with a round cuff. The coat fronts curve from neck to hem, with skirts below the hip, set in pleats (10 cm) at the side. There is an inverted pleat on each side of the centre-back opening. There is a scalloped pocket flap on each coat front at hip level. The sleeves and pockets are lined with fine bleached linen; the rest of the coat with green silk twill. There are 11 large passementerie buttons, embroidered with silver purl and set with red and blue paste, on the right front, from neck to pocket flap, with 11 corresponding buttonholes, worked in mixed white, red, green and black silk twist, on the left front. There are 3 buttons under each pocket, 3 on each cuff, one at the top of the pleats on each side, one holding them at the hem (missing on the right side), and one in the middle of the side pleats (missing on the right side).

The breeches are made of 2 leg fronts, 2 leg backs and 2 waistbands, all cut from the figured silk. The leg backs are cut higher than the fronts and gathered into the back of the waistbands. The breeches have a fall front. There is a pocket in the front of the right and the left waistband; one with a pocket flap below the waistband on each side, and one in the right side seam. The pockets are lined with fustian, the waistbands with linen and the fall-front flap with green silk twill. The legs are unlined and the centre front and back seams and inside seams are covered with linen tape. The waistbands fasten in front with grey silk passementerie buttons, and at the back with buckle bands. The pocket flaps each fasten with a silk-covered button, and the fall-front flap with a small passementerie and paste button on each side. Four of this type of button also fasten the outside legs above the knee, on each leg, with a buckle band at the bottom.
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Given by Major General O. P. Edgcumbe and Miss Ursula Edgcumbe
Object history
Said to have belonged to the Marquis of Thomond, the great-great uncle of the donor.
Collection
Accession number
T.117&A-1953

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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