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Not currently on display at the V&A

Coat

1755 - 1765 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A man's coat of checked linen with a blue weft and white warp. It has a round neckline, bound with a narrow strip of linen. The shaped, two-piece sleeves are fitted and end between the wrist and elbow, with a vertical 'mariner's' scalloped flap, but no cuff around the wrist. The coat fronts curve from neck to hem, with skirts below the hip, arranged in pleats (9 cm deep), one in front and one at the back. 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 are lined with coarse bleached linen, the rest of the coat with coarse unbleached linen. There are 9 linen-covered buttons on the right front, with 9 buttonholes, worked in blue linen on the left front. The buttonholes are uncut. One buttonhole was worked between the first two, unpicked and then sewn up. On the lining, two buttonholes were cut, coresponding to the third buttonhole and the one sewn up; these lining buttonholes have also been sewn up. There are 3 uncut buttonholes and two buttons on each pocket flap, and one button below each flap. The cuffs fasten with 3 buttons and 3 cut buttonholes. There is a button above the pleats on each side. There are 3 uncut buttonholes each side of the back vent, at the top.

The four large hooks and eyes on each side of the front were probably added later, possibly for another wearer.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Linen, linen thread; hand-woven, hand-sewn
Brief description
A man's coat, 1755-65, French?; Blue and white woven check linen
Physical description
A man's coat of checked linen with a blue weft and white warp. It has a round neckline, bound with a narrow strip of linen. The shaped, two-piece sleeves are fitted and end between the wrist and elbow, with a vertical 'mariner's' scalloped flap, but no cuff around the wrist. The coat fronts curve from neck to hem, with skirts below the hip, arranged in pleats (9 cm deep), one in front and one at the back. 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 are lined with coarse bleached linen, the rest of the coat with coarse unbleached linen. There are 9 linen-covered buttons on the right front, with 9 buttonholes, worked in blue linen on the left front. The buttonholes are uncut. One buttonhole was worked between the first two, unpicked and then sewn up. On the lining, two buttonholes were cut, coresponding to the third buttonhole and the one sewn up; these lining buttonholes have also been sewn up. There are 3 uncut buttonholes and two buttons on each pocket flap, and one button below each flap. The cuffs fasten with 3 buttons and 3 cut buttonholes. There is a button above the pleats on each side. There are 3 uncut buttonholes each side of the back vent, at the top.

The four large hooks and eyes on each side of the front were probably added later, possibly for another wearer.
Dimensions
  • Shoulder to hem at right front length: 100.1cm (approx)
  • Chest under armholes circumference: 101.0cm (approx)
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Given by the Antique Textile Company
Object history
Registered File number 1984/2322.
Subject depicted
Collection
Accession number
T.6-1985

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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