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Waistcoat

1750-1755 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Man’s waistcoat with a round neck, curving 2-piece sleeves, curved fronts and skirts reaching to the top of the knee. Each front has a pocket and shaped pocket flap. The fronts, back skirts, pocket flaps and cuffs are made of brown silk cut and uncut velvet on a voided ivory satin ground; the sleeves and back of brown woollen broadcloth. The waistcoat, sleeves and pockets are lined with unbleached linen; the front facings and linings of the skirts, pocket flaps and cuffs are brown silk twill. The fronts, back skirts and cuffs are woven-to-shape in a pattern of flowers, leaves and undulating ribbon against a ground of repeating ogee shapes, along the front edges and hems, cuff and centre-back openings. There are 14 worked buttonholes along the left front edge and 1 on each cuff. There were 14 (5 now missing) corresponding buttons covered with brown silk thread on the right front and 1 on each cuff.

The waistcoat was altered for size, probably during the lifetime of the wearer; insertions of brown cotton velvet were made in the side seams, and grey broadcloth in the sleeves.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, cotton, wool; hand-woven, velvet weave, hand-sewn
Brief description
Man's sleeved waistcoat, 1750-55, British or French; brown silk velvet, woven-to-shape, Lyons
Physical description
Man’s waistcoat with a round neck, curving 2-piece sleeves, curved fronts and skirts reaching to the top of the knee. Each front has a pocket and shaped pocket flap. The fronts, back skirts, pocket flaps and cuffs are made of brown silk cut and uncut velvet on a voided ivory satin ground; the sleeves and back of brown woollen broadcloth. The waistcoat, sleeves and pockets are lined with unbleached linen; the front facings and linings of the skirts, pocket flaps and cuffs are brown silk twill. The fronts, back skirts and cuffs are woven-to-shape in a pattern of flowers, leaves and undulating ribbon against a ground of repeating ogee shapes, along the front edges and hems, cuff and centre-back openings. There are 14 worked buttonholes along the left front edge and 1 on each cuff. There were 14 (5 now missing) corresponding buttons covered with brown silk thread on the right front and 1 on each cuff.

The waistcoat was altered for size, probably during the lifetime of the wearer; insertions of brown cotton velvet were made in the side seams, and grey broadcloth in the sleeves.
Dimensions
  • Right shoulder to hem length: 98.5cm (approx)
  • Chest under armholes circumference: 108.5cm (approx)
Collection
Accession number
660-1898

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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