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Not currently on display at the V&A

Coat

1775-1780 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A man’s court coat and breeches of brown silk taffeta. The coat has a 2⅞-inch (7.2 cm) standing collar, 2-piece sleeves ending in cuffs 4¼ inches (10.7 cm) deep. The fronts curve from neck to hem with pleats 4 inches (10 cm) deep, below the hip set beside the centre back. Each front has a pocket and shaped pocket flap; the centre-back seam is open below the hip. The coat, sleeves and pocket flaps are lined with white silk taffeta, the pockets with bleached linen. The coat is embroidered-to-shape with silk floss in shades of green, pink, blue, yellow and white in a pattern of daisies, on the front collars, cuffs and pocket flaps, around the front neck and pockets, along the fronts and centre-back opening. There are 10 embroidered buttons along the right front, 3 on each cuff, 3 below each pocket, 1 at the top and hem of the pleats. Two worked buttonholes on the left front correspond with the 2nd and 3rd buttons from the top.

The breeches comprise 2 fronts, two backs and 2 waistbands, made of the brown silk taffeta. The back legs are cut higher than the fronts and gathered into the back of the waistbands. There is a pocket on each front, under each side of the fall front and a watch pocket in each front waistband. The breeches close with buttoned front waistbands and a fall front; the back waistbands with a strap (buckle now missing). The waistbands, pockets and fall fronts are lined with linen; the legs are unlined. Three self-covered fasten the waistband; 2 fasten the front pockets; 2 fasten the fall fronts. There are 5 worked buttonholes and 5 embroidered buttons on the outside of each leg above the knee. The knee bands are embroidered in white, blue, pink and green silk floss.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Coat
  • Breeches
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen; hand-woven, hand-embroidered, hand-sewn
Brief description
Man's court coat and breeches, 1775-80, English/French; Brown silk taffeta, flower embroidery
Physical description
A man’s court coat and breeches of brown silk taffeta. The coat has a 2⅞-inch (7.2 cm) standing collar, 2-piece sleeves ending in cuffs 4¼ inches (10.7 cm) deep. The fronts curve from neck to hem with pleats 4 inches (10 cm) deep, below the hip set beside the centre back. Each front has a pocket and shaped pocket flap; the centre-back seam is open below the hip. The coat, sleeves and pocket flaps are lined with white silk taffeta, the pockets with bleached linen. The coat is embroidered-to-shape with silk floss in shades of green, pink, blue, yellow and white in a pattern of daisies, on the front collars, cuffs and pocket flaps, around the front neck and pockets, along the fronts and centre-back opening. There are 10 embroidered buttons along the right front, 3 on each cuff, 3 below each pocket, 1 at the top and hem of the pleats. Two worked buttonholes on the left front correspond with the 2nd and 3rd buttons from the top.

The breeches comprise 2 fronts, two backs and 2 waistbands, made of the brown silk taffeta. The back legs are cut higher than the fronts and gathered into the back of the waistbands. There is a pocket on each front, under each side of the fall front and a watch pocket in each front waistband. The breeches close with buttoned front waistbands and a fall front; the back waistbands with a strap (buckle now missing). The waistbands, pockets and fall fronts are lined with linen; the legs are unlined. Three self-covered fasten the waistband; 2 fasten the front pockets; 2 fasten the fall fronts. There are 5 worked buttonholes and 5 embroidered buttons on the outside of each leg above the knee. The knee bands are embroidered in white, blue, pink and green silk floss.
Credit line
Given by Major and Mrs Broughton
Object history
This embroidered silk coat and breeches were donated as part of a large donation of late 19th and early 20th century garments and accessories (with a few historical textiles, such as this) in 1972. Their provenance is not known, but they may have been acquired by the Huttleston Rogers family as examples of historical embroidery, or have been passed down through the Broughton family.

The donor, Major Ailwyn Broughton, is the grandson of Cara Broughton, née Cara Leland Huttleston Rogers (1867-1939), who married Urban Hanlon Broughton (1857-1929) in 1895. As Urban H. Broughton died before he could be elevated to a peerage, their eldest son Urban H.R. Broughton (1896-1966) became 1st Baron Fairhaven of Lode on 20 March 1929, while Cara became 1st Lady Fairhaven. This barony became extinct on Urban H.R.Broughton's death, but a later barony, Baron Fairhaven of Anglesey Abbey, co. Cambridge, was granted to him in 1961, with a remainder to his brother, Henry (1900-1973), to enable this title to continue after his death without male heirs. Henry's son, Ailwyn became Lord Fairhaven following his father's death.
Collection
Accession number
T.279&A-1972

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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