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Waistcoat

1790-1799 (made), 1870-1910 (altered)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Man’s waistcoat with a 2-inch (5 cm) standing collar, revers, straight fronts and hem, hip-length, with a welted pocket on each front. The fronts, collar, pocket welts and revers are made of cream silk taffeta. Two painted silk medallions, one depicting Justice and the other Hercules, have been applied below each pocket welt. The waistcoat is embroidered to shape with silk floss in white, brown and shades of pink and green, in a pattern of flowers, insects, crowns and ribbons on the collar, pocket welts, and along the front edges and hems. There are 10 worked buttonholes on the left front and 7 embroidered buttons on the right front edge.

The waistcoat was altered in the late 19th century, probably for theatre costume or a studio prop. The back was replaced, the fronts stitched to another waistcoat and later, the sides taken in.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk, paint; hand-woven, hand-embroidered, hand-painted, hand-sewn
Brief description
Man's waistcoat, 1790s, French; Cream silk taffeta, embroidered, applied painted medallions, altered 1870-1910
Physical description
Man’s waistcoat with a 2-inch (5 cm) standing collar, revers, straight fronts and hem, hip-length, with a welted pocket on each front. The fronts, collar, pocket welts and revers are made of cream silk taffeta. Two painted silk medallions, one depicting Justice and the other Hercules, have been applied below each pocket welt. The waistcoat is embroidered to shape with silk floss in white, brown and shades of pink and green, in a pattern of flowers, insects, crowns and ribbons on the collar, pocket welts, and along the front edges and hems. There are 10 worked buttonholes on the left front and 7 embroidered buttons on the right front edge.

The waistcoat was altered in the late 19th century, probably for theatre costume or a studio prop. The back was replaced, the fronts stitched to another waistcoat and later, the sides taken in.
Dimensions
  • Weight: 0.42kg
  • Top of right collar to hem length: 54.0cm (approx)
  • Chest under armholes circumference: 105.5cm (approx)
Credit line
From the collection of the late Miss Kathleen Dawson of Chelsea, given by her sister Miss Marion Dawson
Collection
Accession number
T.365-1920

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Record createdNovember 18, 2009
Record URL
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