Coat and Breeches thumbnail 1
Coat and Breeches thumbnail 2
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This object consists of 2 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Coat and Breeches

1770s (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A man’s coat and breeches; the coat has a 1¼-inch (3 cm) standing collar, and curving two-piece sleeves ending in a 5¾ inch (14.5 cm) deep cuff. The fronts curve from neck to hem with 6-inch (15.2 cm) pleats below the hip set at the side back. Each front has a pocket with scalloped pocket flap; the centre-back seam is open below the hip. The back is lined with fustian, the fronts, the skirts, sleeves, pocket flaps are lined with ivory silk satin. The collar, front edges, cuffs, pockets, pocket flaps side pleats and centre-back opening are embroidered with silver purl and spangles, pastes, blur, green, red and pink foils in a design of undulating ribbons, bows and floral sprays. There were 9 pink foil, paste and silver purl along the right front of the coat, 2 below each pocket flap (1 on right pocket now missing), 3 on each cuff, 1 at the top of the pleats. There are no corresponding worked buttonholes, only 2 pieces of plied silver thread sewn to the left fronts, at the level of the top 2 buttons.

The breeches comprise 2 fronts, two backs and 2 waistbands, made of brown velvet; there is no embroidery on the knee bands. The back legs are cut higher than the fronts and gathered into the back of the waistbands. There is a pocket in each side seam and a pocket with flap on each front and a watch pocket in the lining of each front waistband. The legs are lined with linen, the waistbands with fustian, the pockets with chamois leather and the pocket flaps with ivory silk satin. There are 2 large velvet-covered buttons fastening the waistbands at the front, 3 small velvet-covered buttons on the fly, 1 fastening each pocket flap. There is a plain velvet band at each knee, a steel buckle and a worsted tape at the back of the waist.

The 5 cut steel buttons on each outer leg are probably later additions. Conservation work includes net over the pocket flaps and relining the collar.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Coat
  • Breeches
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, cotton, worsted, silver, enamel, glass paste; hand-woven, velvet weave, hand-embroidered, hand-sewn
Brief description
Man's formal coat and breeches, 1770s, probably French; Brown velvet, embroidered with foil, paste, silver purl
Physical description
A man’s coat and breeches; the coat has a 1¼-inch (3 cm) standing collar, and curving two-piece sleeves ending in a 5¾ inch (14.5 cm) deep cuff. The fronts curve from neck to hem with 6-inch (15.2 cm) pleats below the hip set at the side back. Each front has a pocket with scalloped pocket flap; the centre-back seam is open below the hip. The back is lined with fustian, the fronts, the skirts, sleeves, pocket flaps are lined with ivory silk satin. The collar, front edges, cuffs, pockets, pocket flaps side pleats and centre-back opening are embroidered with silver purl and spangles, pastes, blur, green, red and pink foils in a design of undulating ribbons, bows and floral sprays. There were 9 pink foil, paste and silver purl along the right front of the coat, 2 below each pocket flap (1 on right pocket now missing), 3 on each cuff, 1 at the top of the pleats. There are no corresponding worked buttonholes, only 2 pieces of plied silver thread sewn to the left fronts, at the level of the top 2 buttons.

The breeches comprise 2 fronts, two backs and 2 waistbands, made of brown velvet; there is no embroidery on the knee bands. The back legs are cut higher than the fronts and gathered into the back of the waistbands. There is a pocket in each side seam and a pocket with flap on each front and a watch pocket in the lining of each front waistband. The legs are lined with linen, the waistbands with fustian, the pockets with chamois leather and the pocket flaps with ivory silk satin. There are 2 large velvet-covered buttons fastening the waistbands at the front, 3 small velvet-covered buttons on the fly, 1 fastening each pocket flap. There is a plain velvet band at each knee, a steel buckle and a worsted tape at the back of the waist.

The 5 cut steel buttons on each outer leg are probably later additions. Conservation work includes net over the pocket flaps and relining the collar.
Collection
Accession number
T.282&A-1988

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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