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Not currently on display at the V&A

Waistcoat

1780-1789 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Man’s waistcoat with a standing 2¼-inch (5.5 cm) collar, curving fronts and skirts reaching to the top of the thigh. Each front has a pocket and pointed pocket flap. The fronts and pocket flaps are made of white silk satin, the back of white glazed worsted. The waistcoat and pockets are lined with linen; the skirt and pocket-flap linings and front facings are white silk satin. The waistcoat is embroidered-to-shape with silk floss in white, yellow and shades of blue, pink and green, in a pattern of flowers and leaves, on the pocket flaps, front edges and hems, and below the pockets. The fronts are filled with repeated floral sprigs and leaves embroidered in silk floss. There are 9 worked buttonholes along the left front with 12 embroidered buttons on the right front.

The linen tape ties at the back are probably later additions.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, wool; hand-woven, hand-embroiderd, hand-sewn
Brief description
Man's waistcoat, court, 1780s British; white silk satin, embroidered coloured silks
Physical description
Man’s waistcoat with a standing 2¼-inch (5.5 cm) collar, curving fronts and skirts reaching to the top of the thigh. Each front has a pocket and pointed pocket flap. The fronts and pocket flaps are made of white silk satin, the back of white glazed worsted. The waistcoat and pockets are lined with linen; the skirt and pocket-flap linings and front facings are white silk satin. The waistcoat is embroidered-to-shape with silk floss in white, yellow and shades of blue, pink and green, in a pattern of flowers and leaves, on the pocket flaps, front edges and hems, and below the pockets. The fronts are filled with repeated floral sprigs and leaves embroidered in silk floss. There are 9 worked buttonholes along the left front with 12 embroidered buttons on the right front.

The linen tape ties at the back are probably later additions.
Dimensions
  • Height: 1520mm
  • Width: 360mm
  • Depth: 230mm
  • Top of right collar to hem length: 72.0cm (approx)
  • Chest under armholes circumference: 100.5cm (approx)
Dimensions when mounted.
Credit line
Purchase.
Object history
The waistcoat was purchased for 3 pounds and 3 shillings.
Collection
Accession number
877-1891

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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