Not currently on display at the V&A

Coat

1920 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

As well as being a popular sport, hunting acquired a greater social status than ever during the 19th and early 20th century. To be seen on the hunting field was an essential attribute of social success. This coat is from an important collection previously in Castle Howard, Yorkshire, that includes seven scarlet hunt coats and one blue hunt coat as well as waistcoats, breeches, stockings and boots.

There were many different hunt membership rules regulating the colour of the coat, collar and buttons. The buttons on this coat, engraved with foxes and a thistle, denote the hunt the wearer belonged to. This is an example of a dress hunt coat worn for formal occasions and hunt balls, not out on the field. Dress hunt coats are double-breasted with wider lapels and short tails behind. They often include elements made of more luxurious materials, such as velvet collars and silk-satin facings to the lapels.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Woollen cloth, lined with sateen and grosgrain, fastened and decorated with metal buttons engraved with a fox and thistle; machine-sewn and hand-finished
Brief description
Red hunting dress coat with tails, fastened and decorated with engraved metal buttons made by Henry Corlett, London, 1920
Physical description
Red hunt dress coat with wide lapels and a green wool collar. The coat is double breasted and has 3 sets of buttons on either side as well as 2 cufflink style buttons of the same size fastening the fronts. The metal buttons are engraved with a fox and a thistle and there are 2 identical buttons on the waist seam at the centre back and at the bottom of the tails and 2 smaller identical buttons fastening the cuffs. The coat has a waist seam and a back vent and is sharply cut away at the side to form 2 long tails. The coat is part lined with grosgrain and the sleeves are lined with cream sateen.
Dimensions
  • Weight: 1.4kg
Credit line
Purchased with Art Fund support and assistance from the Friends of the V&A, and a number of private donors
Subjects depicted
Summary
As well as being a popular sport, hunting acquired a greater social status than ever during the 19th and early 20th century. To be seen on the hunting field was an essential attribute of social success. This coat is from an important collection previously in Castle Howard, Yorkshire, that includes seven scarlet hunt coats and one blue hunt coat as well as waistcoats, breeches, stockings and boots.

There were many different hunt membership rules regulating the colour of the coat, collar and buttons. The buttons on this coat, engraved with foxes and a thistle, denote the hunt the wearer belonged to. This is an example of a dress hunt coat worn for formal occasions and hunt balls, not out on the field. Dress hunt coats are double-breasted with wider lapels and short tails behind. They often include elements made of more luxurious materials, such as velvet collars and silk-satin facings to the lapels.
Collection
Accession number
T.96-2003

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Record createdMarch 11, 2004
Record URL
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