Man's coat, waistcoat and breeches, 1765-1770, British; silk tissue, red ground, blue & yellow floral sprigs, white lace motif, Spitalfields or Lyons

A man's coat, waistcoat and breeches of silk tissue with a red ground with an undulating white lace motif, and blue and yellow floral springs. The coat has a round neck, bound with a narrow strip of silk. The curved, two-piece sleeves end above the wrists with a round cuff (15.5 cm at top, 18 cm at bottom). The front edges curve slightly from neck to hem with skirts below the hip, set in pleats (12 cm) at the sides. There is an inverted pleat on each side of the centre-back opening. There is a scalloped pocket flap on each coat front at hip level. The pockets, sleeves and backs are lined with linen; the cuffs, pocket flaps, fronts and back skirts are lined with white silk taffeta. There are 10 silk-covered buttons (one now missing) on the right front edge from neck to pocket flap with corresponding buttonholes, worked in red silk twist, on the left front. There are 4 uncut buttonholes on each pocket flap, 4 buttons below each flap, 4 buttons with uncut buttonholes on the cuffs, one button above the pleats, one holding them together at the hem, two on the side each of each back, and 2 uncut buttonholes on each side of the back vent, at the top.

The waistcoat fronts and backs are made of the silk tissue. The neckline is round and bound with a narrow strip of silk, The waistcoat fronts curve from neck to hem with skirts below the hip, reaching to above the knee. There is a scalloped pocket flap on each waistcoat front at hip level. The pockets and waistcoat backs are lined with linen, the pocket flaps, back skirts and fronts with white silk taffeta. There are 13 silk-covered buttons, smaller than those on the coat, on the right front, with corresponding buttonholes, worked in red silk twist, on the left front. There are 4 uncut buttonholes on each pocket flap and 4 buttons below. The back seam is open from just below the neck down, with 9 worked eyelets on each side, fastened with a length of linen tape.

The breeches are made of 2 front legs, 2 back legs and 2 waistbands, all cut from the silk tissue. The back legs are cut higher than the fronts and gathered into the back of the waistbands. There is a watch pocket between the right waistband and its lining and a pocket with flap below the waistband on each side. The breeches have a fall front. The pockets and waistbands are lined with linen, the fall-front flap with white worsted. The legs are unlined and the centre-front, centre-back and inside seams are bound with a 2-cm wide strip of linen. The pockets and waistbands fasten at the centre front with 3 large, silk-covered buttons and buttonholes, and at centre back with 2 worked eyelets on each side. The pockets and fall front fasten with a buttonhole in each corner and 4 buttons. There are 4 buttons and buttonholes fastening each leg above the knee, with buckle bands at the bottom.

Purchased in 1953 together with T.113-1953 and T.115-1953

An intricately patterned silk is the decorative highlight of this 1760s man’s formal coat. Known as a ‘tissue’ by virtue of the weaving technique, the silk features a red ground with a meandering lace pattern in white, embellished with yellow and blue flowers. The simple, round cuff was a new development in men’s fashion, replacing the wide ‘wing’ cuff of the 1740s. The long buttonholes are purely decorative; the plain buttons have been made from the silk of the coat covering a wooden core.

T.114 to B-1953