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Man's Suit

1760s (weaving), ca. 1770 (sewing)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A man's suit of silk velvet with a voided ground of pink and a pattern of uncut white diamonds with black green floral motifs. The coat has a round neckline, bound with a narrow strip of velvet. The shaped, two-piece sleeves extend to the wrist, with round cuffs (9 cm at top, 10 cm at bottom). The fronts curve from neck to hem, with skirts below the hip, set in pleats (12 cm) at the side-back seam. There is an inverted pleat on each side of the centre back opening. There is a scalloped pocket flap on each front, at hip level. The pockets and sleeves are lined with bleached linen, the cuffs, pocket flaps, fronts and backs with pink silk taffeta. There are 11 velvet-covered buttons on the right front, from neck to pocket flap, with 11 corresponding buttonholes, worked in pink and white silk twist, on the left front. There are 3 buttons on each cuff, 3 below each pocket flap, one button above the pleats, one holding them at the hem and one button on the back edge of the side pleats. There is a thread bar at the top of the back vent.

The waistcoat fronts and back skirts are made of the silk velvet, the backs of brushed white woollen twill. The neck is round and bound with 2 lines of top-stitching. The fronts curve from neck to hem, with skirts below the hip, reaching to the top of the thigh. There is a scalloped pocket flap on each waistcoat front. The pockets are lined with bleached linen, the backs and fronts with fustian, the front and back skirts and pocket flaps with pink silk twill. The waistcoat fronts are faced with pink silk taffeta. There are 13 small velvet-covered buttons on the right front, with 13 corresponding buttonholes, worked in white and pink silk twist, on the left front. There are 3 buttons below each pocket flap.

The breeches are made of 2 front legs, 2 back legs and 2 waistbands made of the silk velvet. The backs are cut higher than the front legs and gathered into the back of the waistbands. The breeches have a fall front. There is a watch pocket in the right waistband and a pocket with a flap below the waistbands on each side. The waistbands and pockets are lined with fustian, the fall-front flap with pink silk taffeta. The legs are unlined; the centre-back and centre-front seams and inside seams of the legs are bound with linen tape. The waistbands fasten at centre front with 2 large velvet-covered buttons, and 2 sets of eyelets on each side of the centre back. There is one small, velvet-covered button in each corner of the pocket and fall-front flaps. Four small buttons fasten the outside legs above the knee, with buckle bands at the bottom.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Coat
  • Waistcoat
  • Breeches
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, cotton, wool, silk thread, linen thread; hand-woven velvet, hand-sewn
Brief description
A man's coat, waistcoat and breeches, English, ca.1770; pink and black, uncut voided velvet, diaper pattern
Physical description
A man's suit of silk velvet with a voided ground of pink and a pattern of uncut white diamonds with black green floral motifs. The coat has a round neckline, bound with a narrow strip of velvet. The shaped, two-piece sleeves extend to the wrist, with round cuffs (9 cm at top, 10 cm at bottom). The fronts curve from neck to hem, with skirts below the hip, set in pleats (12 cm) at the side-back seam. There is an inverted pleat on each side of the centre back opening. There is a scalloped pocket flap on each front, at hip level. The pockets and sleeves are lined with bleached linen, the cuffs, pocket flaps, fronts and backs with pink silk taffeta. There are 11 velvet-covered buttons on the right front, from neck to pocket flap, with 11 corresponding buttonholes, worked in pink and white silk twist, on the left front. There are 3 buttons on each cuff, 3 below each pocket flap, one button above the pleats, one holding them at the hem and one button on the back edge of the side pleats. There is a thread bar at the top of the back vent.

The waistcoat fronts and back skirts are made of the silk velvet, the backs of brushed white woollen twill. The neck is round and bound with 2 lines of top-stitching. The fronts curve from neck to hem, with skirts below the hip, reaching to the top of the thigh. There is a scalloped pocket flap on each waistcoat front. The pockets are lined with bleached linen, the backs and fronts with fustian, the front and back skirts and pocket flaps with pink silk twill. The waistcoat fronts are faced with pink silk taffeta. There are 13 small velvet-covered buttons on the right front, with 13 corresponding buttonholes, worked in white and pink silk twist, on the left front. There are 3 buttons below each pocket flap.

The breeches are made of 2 front legs, 2 back legs and 2 waistbands made of the silk velvet. The backs are cut higher than the front legs and gathered into the back of the waistbands. The breeches have a fall front. There is a watch pocket in the right waistband and a pocket with a flap below the waistbands on each side. The waistbands and pockets are lined with fustian, the fall-front flap with pink silk taffeta. The legs are unlined; the centre-back and centre-front seams and inside seams of the legs are bound with linen tape. The waistbands fasten at centre front with 2 large velvet-covered buttons, and 2 sets of eyelets on each side of the centre back. There is one small, velvet-covered button in each corner of the pocket and fall-front flaps. Four small buttons fasten the outside legs above the knee, with buckle bands at the bottom.
Production typeUnique
Collection
Accession number
859-1864

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
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