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Waistcoat

1730-1739 (sewing), 1870-1910 (altered)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Man’s waistcoat of embroidered, Chinese export silk satin, with a round neck, straight fronts and skirts reaching to the top of the knee. Each front had a pocket opening and shaped pocket flap. The fronts and pocket flaps are lined with ivory silk taffeta, pockets with coarse linen. The waistcoat is embroidered-to-shape with silver thread and silk twist in shades of pink, green and blue in a pattern of large flowers and leaves on the pocket flaps, around the front neck and pockets, and along the front edges and hems. There are 5 worked buttonholes along the left front edge, 1 at the neck and 4 at the waist.

The waistcoat was extensively altered in the late 19th century, probably for theatre costume. The right front above the pocket was patched, the armholes cut larger, the back replaced and the buttons replaced.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, silver; hand-woven, satin weave, hand-embroidered, hand-sewn
Brief description
Man's waistcoat, 1730s, British; Ivory Chinese export silk satin, embroidered, altered 1870-1910
Physical description
Man’s waistcoat of embroidered, Chinese export silk satin, with a round neck, straight fronts and skirts reaching to the top of the knee. Each front had a pocket opening and shaped pocket flap. The fronts and pocket flaps are lined with ivory silk taffeta, pockets with coarse linen. The waistcoat is embroidered-to-shape with silver thread and silk twist in shades of pink, green and blue in a pattern of large flowers and leaves on the pocket flaps, around the front neck and pockets, and along the front edges and hems. There are 5 worked buttonholes along the left front edge, 1 at the neck and 4 at the waist.

The waistcoat was extensively altered in the late 19th century, probably for theatre costume. The right front above the pocket was patched, the armholes cut larger, the back replaced and the buttons replaced.
Dimensions
  • Right shoulder to hem length: 88.5cm (approx)
  • Chest under armholes circumference: 113.5cm (approx)
Credit line
Given by Messrs Harrods Ltd.
Collection
Accession number
T.698-1913

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Record createdNovember 5, 2009
Record URL
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