Sack thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Sack

1765 - 1775 (sewing), 1870 - 1910 (altered)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A woman's sack and petticoat of plain yellow silk. The sack is open at the front, with robings to the waist and elbow-length sleeves with double, pinked & scalloped sleeve ruffles. The sack is made of 4 widths of silk, with a partial panel and triangular gore of silk on each side of the front. The waist seam runs from front opening to the bodice side-back seam; the skirts are flat-pleated into the seam. There is a pocket opening in each side seam of the skirt. The bodice is lined with linen.

The petticoat is made of 5 widths of silk.

Both were altered in the late 19th century for fancy dress. The double box pleats of the sack were altered, parts of the bodice lining at the back cut away and the front linings detached. Shaped stomacher fronts, edged with machine lace and gathered yellow silk net, with hooks and eyelets were added, and the robings unpicked. The waist of the petticoat was unpicked, and pieces taken from the upper back to make the stomacher fronts. These were replaced with yellow cotton. The top front panels were narrowed, the waist repleated and a waistband of yellow silk added. Strips of rattan braiding were sewn to the back for stiffening. A flounce of pinked and scalloped yellow silk, originally sewn to the petticoat front in a curving line, was unpicked and sewn above the hem. A wide band of yellow silk netting was sewn above the hem around the back and narrower strips above the flounce at the front.


Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Sack
  • Petticoat
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, silk thread, linen thread, cotton thread; hand-woven, hand-sewn
Brief description
A woman's sack and petticoat, 1765-75, English; Yellow silk, altered 1870-1910
Physical description
A woman's sack and petticoat of plain yellow silk. The sack is open at the front, with robings to the waist and elbow-length sleeves with double, pinked & scalloped sleeve ruffles. The sack is made of 4 widths of silk, with a partial panel and triangular gore of silk on each side of the front. The waist seam runs from front opening to the bodice side-back seam; the skirts are flat-pleated into the seam. There is a pocket opening in each side seam of the skirt. The bodice is lined with linen.

The petticoat is made of 5 widths of silk.

Both were altered in the late 19th century for fancy dress. The double box pleats of the sack were altered, parts of the bodice lining at the back cut away and the front linings detached. Shaped stomacher fronts, edged with machine lace and gathered yellow silk net, with hooks and eyelets were added, and the robings unpicked. The waist of the petticoat was unpicked, and pieces taken from the upper back to make the stomacher fronts. These were replaced with yellow cotton. The top front panels were narrowed, the waist repleated and a waistband of yellow silk added. Strips of rattan braiding were sewn to the back for stiffening. A flounce of pinked and scalloped yellow silk, originally sewn to the petticoat front in a curving line, was unpicked and sewn above the hem. A wide band of yellow silk netting was sewn above the hem around the back and narrower strips above the flounce at the front.
Dimensions
  • Silk, selvedge to selvedge width: 48.5cm (approx)
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Given by Miss M. Vigers
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.604&A-1964

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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