Suit
1800-1820 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
An embroidered jackal or fox races across the collar of this linen coat. Jackal hunting was popular among British soldiers and administrators living in India during the nineteenth century. The rules were based on the British fox hunt although the hunting packs tended to be made up of dogs of different breeds known as ‘Bobbery-Packs’ in Anglo-Indian colloquial terms, and hence the name ‘Bobbery Hunt’.
This light linen coat would have proved ideal for hot climates, replacing the heavy woollen cloth used for British hunts. It was probably worn by the huntsman who looked after the dogs, as the slanting pocket on the front could have held a hunting whistle or horn. The collar is very similar to one worn by the Earl of Darlington for a Yorkshire hunt in 1826: ‘Lady Arabella was attired in her scarlet habit, and his Lordship in a straight-cut scarlet coat, with an embroidered fox on the collar, a hat, and a leather girdle across his shoulder. His two whippers-in were also in hats, and had the embroidered fox on the collar.’
This light linen coat would have proved ideal for hot climates, replacing the heavy woollen cloth used for British hunts. It was probably worn by the huntsman who looked after the dogs, as the slanting pocket on the front could have held a hunting whistle or horn. The collar is very similar to one worn by the Earl of Darlington for a Yorkshire hunt in 1826: ‘Lady Arabella was attired in her scarlet habit, and his Lordship in a straight-cut scarlet coat, with an embroidered fox on the collar, a hat, and a leather girdle across his shoulder. His two whippers-in were also in hats, and had the embroidered fox on the collar.’
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Linen, with velvet collar embroidered with metal thread, trimmed with silk cord |
| Brief description | Man's hunting suit, 1800-1825, English |
| Physical description | Man's coat of unbleached linen, velvet collar embroidered with metal thread couched with linen. Embroidery depicts a fox and the inscription 'BOBBERY HUNT'. Trimmed with silk cord and fastened with velvet-covered buttons. Fall front cotton breeches |
| Marks and inscriptions | BOBBERY HUNT |
| Credit line | Given by Messrs Harrods Ltd. |
| Object history | This was part of a very large collection of items of dress and accessories which was given to the Museum by Harrods, the department store, in 1913. The collection had been formed by the artist Talbot Hughes, who wrote a book on the history of dress, illustrated with photographs of models wearing items from his collection. A large firm in America had offered to buy the collection and present it to the Metropolitan Museum, New York, but Hughes did not want it to go abroad. At the suggestion of Cecil Harcourt Smith of the V&A, Harrods bought it for £2,500 and gave it to the Museum for the 'public good'. Harrods displayed the collection for three weeks in December 1913. |
| Association | |
| Summary | An embroidered jackal or fox races across the collar of this linen coat. Jackal hunting was popular among British soldiers and administrators living in India during the nineteenth century. The rules were based on the British fox hunt although the hunting packs tended to be made up of dogs of different breeds known as ‘Bobbery-Packs’ in Anglo-Indian colloquial terms, and hence the name ‘Bobbery Hunt’. This light linen coat would have proved ideal for hot climates, replacing the heavy woollen cloth used for British hunts. It was probably worn by the huntsman who looked after the dogs, as the slanting pocket on the front could have held a hunting whistle or horn. The collar is very similar to one worn by the Earl of Darlington for a Yorkshire hunt in 1826: ‘Lady Arabella was attired in her scarlet habit, and his Lordship in a straight-cut scarlet coat, with an embroidered fox on the collar, a hat, and a leather girdle across his shoulder. His two whippers-in were also in hats, and had the embroidered fox on the collar.’ |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.742-1913 |
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| Record created | December 29, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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