Court Suit thumbnail 1
Court Suit thumbnail 2
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images
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

This object consists of 11 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Court Suit

1899 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
Despite the changes in fashion during the 19th century, court suits resemble the type of clothes a late 18th-century gentleman might have worn. They were cut in the style of fashionable 1790s men's dress, with waistcoat, tailcoat, knee-breeches worn with silk stockings, buckled shoes, a sword with a cut-steel hilt and a bicorne hat.

Ownership & Use
Court suits were worn for important cermonial occasions and at court. Sydney Vacher wore this court suit for the laying of the foundation stone of the Victoria and Albert Museum on 17 May 1899. On 28 April 1918 he wrote offering it to the Museum:

'It has just struck me would the Museum accept my Civic costume I wore at the laying of the foundation stone of the Museum. It is the ordinary civilian's black velvet with steel buttons ... I don't see that I shall have any further use for it. The material is English Silk Velvet and I had it made up for me.'

Design & Designing
After 1869 new regulations were introduced for gentlemen's court dress. The cut and form of the this style of suit were much the same as before, but the coat and breeches were usually made of black velvet instead of dark cloth. Waistcoats also tended to be made of plain white silk or black velvet.

By 1900 there were two main designs for court dress. This court suit is an example of the 'new style', which included a black velvet tailcoat which was worn open. The 'old style' consisted of a velvet frock coat with fronts sloping back from the waist, stand collar and black silk wig-bag.

In the early 20th century an alternative to these two styles was a cloth coat of mulberry, claret or green with matching breeches, and white waistcoat. The coat collar, cuffs and pocket flaps were decorated with gold embroidery.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 11 parts.

  • Coat
  • Waistcoat
  • Breeches
  • Hat
  • Sword Belt
  • Stocking
  • Stocking
  • Shoe
  • Shoe
  • Shirt
  • Suspenders
Materials and techniques
Velvet suit with silk lining and cut steel buttons, cotton shirt and suspenders, machine-knitted silk stockings, patent leather shoes and beaver hat
Brief description
Man's court suit ensemble, 1899, English, black velvet coat and waistcoat made by Edward Lamb of Jermyn St. Bicorn hat made by Lincoln Bennett. White cotton shirt made by Vickerman London
Physical description
Velvet suit with silk lining and cut steel buttons, cotton shirt and suspenders, machine-knitted silk stockings, patent leather shoes and beaver hat
Dimensions
  • Length: 130cm
Dimensions checked: measured; 08/06/1999 by LH
Gallery label
(27/03/2003)
British Galleries:
Court dress was worn for royal, ceremonial occasions. It did not change in line with fashion as did the rest of men's clothes. By 1900 there were two main styles. This is an example of the 'new style' which included a black velvet tailcoat. The 'old style' was based on an 18th-century frock coat.
Credit line
Given by Sydney Vacher
Object history
Made by Edward Lamb, Military Tailor, 111 Jermyn Street, St James's, London, for Sydney Vacher, who wore it at the laying of the foundation stone of the Museum on 17 May 1899
Production
Suspenders stamped with "Knight's Patent Rubber Clip"
Summary
Object Type
Despite the changes in fashion during the 19th century, court suits resemble the type of clothes a late 18th-century gentleman might have worn. They were cut in the style of fashionable 1790s men's dress, with waistcoat, tailcoat, knee-breeches worn with silk stockings, buckled shoes, a sword with a cut-steel hilt and a bicorne hat.

Ownership & Use
Court suits were worn for important cermonial occasions and at court. Sydney Vacher wore this court suit for the laying of the foundation stone of the Victoria and Albert Museum on 17 May 1899. On 28 April 1918 he wrote offering it to the Museum:

'It has just struck me would the Museum accept my Civic costume I wore at the laying of the foundation stone of the Museum. It is the ordinary civilian's black velvet with steel buttons ... I don't see that I shall have any further use for it. The material is English Silk Velvet and I had it made up for me.'

Design & Designing
After 1869 new regulations were introduced for gentlemen's court dress. The cut and form of the this style of suit were much the same as before, but the coat and breeches were usually made of black velvet instead of dark cloth. Waistcoats also tended to be made of plain white silk or black velvet.

By 1900 there were two main designs for court dress. This court suit is an example of the 'new style', which included a black velvet tailcoat which was worn open. The 'old style' consisted of a velvet frock coat with fronts sloping back from the waist, stand collar and black silk wig-bag.

In the early 20th century an alternative to these two styles was a cloth coat of mulberry, claret or green with matching breeches, and white waistcoat. The coat collar, cuffs and pocket flaps were decorated with gold embroidery.
Collection
Accession number
T.61 to C, F to L-1918

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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