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Coat

Coat
1850-1899 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Despite being covered with tightly packed flowers worked in couched metal thread, the silk pile of this purple velvet coat has almost completely disappeared. This is unlikely to have been caused by wear and tear, as the raised embroidery would have protected it; the silk may have been treated with a substance that accidentally accelerated the natural process of decay.

The repeating pattern of gold flower heads linked by short stems is rather subdued but it provides a solid pattern to contrast with the dramatic swirling silver cords that form the edging. In fact the metal thread used to create the flowers is not gold, or even gilt; it is silver strip wound around a yellow silk core, with several strands twisted together to form a cord.

The applied woven braid is also silver but appears to have a golden sheen when it is placed next to the pure silver colour of the edging. This effect has been achieved by stitching silver thread in a chevron pattern onto dark red silk cords. The cords were coiled into fluid swirls, secured by stitches on the reverse and then attached to the edge of the coat. A small square of woven braid has been inserted from the back to fill in gaps formed by the wave-like undulations which themselves have been edged with a row of tightly coiled silver cords.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleCoat
Materials and techniques
Silk velvet, embroidered with metal thread and applied braid and cord
Brief description
Woman's coat, silk velvet, embroidered with metal thread and applied braid and cord, Serbia, 1850-1899
Physical description
Woman's sleeveless coat, silk velvet embroidered with metal thread and applied braid and cord. The middle of the coat is covered with a close raised pattern in embroidery of wavy flowering stems, and with braid woven in floral designs. There is a broad scrolled border. Lined with silk printed in colours with red stripes alternating with floral bands. Fastened at the neck with button and loop of silver-gilt thread.
Dimensions
  • Nape of neck to hem back length: 94.5cm
  • Around hem when mounted circumference: 180cm
Object history
Purchased. Registered File number 21201/1902.
Production
When acquired in 1902, attributed to Albanian, 19th century. New attribution made in 2002.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Despite being covered with tightly packed flowers worked in couched metal thread, the silk pile of this purple velvet coat has almost completely disappeared. This is unlikely to have been caused by wear and tear, as the raised embroidery would have protected it; the silk may have been treated with a substance that accidentally accelerated the natural process of decay.

The repeating pattern of gold flower heads linked by short stems is rather subdued but it provides a solid pattern to contrast with the dramatic swirling silver cords that form the edging. In fact the metal thread used to create the flowers is not gold, or even gilt; it is silver strip wound around a yellow silk core, with several strands twisted together to form a cord.

The applied woven braid is also silver but appears to have a golden sheen when it is placed next to the pure silver colour of the edging. This effect has been achieved by stitching silver thread in a chevron pattern onto dark red silk cords. The cords were coiled into fluid swirls, secured by stitches on the reverse and then attached to the edge of the coat. A small square of woven braid has been inserted from the back to fill in gaps formed by the wave-like undulations which themselves have been edged with a row of tightly coiled silver cords.
Bibliographic reference
Crill, Rosemary, Jennifer Wearden and Verity Wilson; with contributions from Anna Jackson and Charlotte Horlyck Dress in detail from around the world London: V&A Publications, 2002, 224 p., ill. p. 90 ISBN 09781851773787.
Collection
Accession number
895-1902

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Record createdFebruary 5, 2004
Record URL
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