A man's coat and waistcoat, 1760s, English; Blue watered ribbed silk, embroidered silver thread, foil, spangles

A man's coat and waistcoat of blue watered ribbed silk. The coat has a round neckline, bound with a narrow strip of silk. The shaped, two-piece sleeves end above the wrist, with a round cuff ((12.8 cm at top, 13.4 at bottom). The coat fronts curve slightly from neck to hem, with skirts below the hip, set in pleats (18 cm deep), one in the front, one back, at the side seams. There is an inverted pleat on each side of the centre back opening. There is a pocket flap on each coat front at hip level. The sleeves are lined with white fustian, the pockets with bleached linen and the rest of the coat with white silk taffeta. The coat fronts are interlined with coarse linen and the front skirts with wool. The coat is embroidered in a design of two interlaced serpentine lines made of interlaced silver thread, silver spangles and purl, with flowers of silver foil. The embroidery covers the coat fronts, the cuffs, pocket flaps, pocket surrounds, edges of the back vent. There are 12 passementerie buttons of silver foil, thread and purl on the right front, from neck to pocket flap, but no corresponding buttonholes on the left front. There are 3 buttons below the pocket flaps, 3 on the cuffs, one above the pleats, one holding the pleats at the hem (pleats now undone), and 2 on the back edge of the skirts at the side seam.

The waistcoat fronts and back are made of the same blue watered silk. 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, ending at mid-thigh. There is a pocket flap on each waistcoat front at hip level. The pockets are lined with bleached linen, waistcoat torso with white fustian, the skirts and pocket flaps with white silk taffeta. The front edges are faced with the taffeta. The waistcoat is embroidered in the same design and materials as the coat, along the front edges and hems, around the pockets and on the pocket flaps. There are 12 small, silver passementerie buttons on the right front, with 12 buttonholes bound with silver-wrapped parchment, couched with silver thread.

The coat has some later alterations and repairs. The coat pleats have been released at the hem, the buttons holding them removed and restitched. The lining around the shoulders and neck line has been reinforced with cotton muslin. The waistcoat facings have been covered with polyester crepeline by Textile Conservation

Given by the children of Paymaster-Capt. G. W. Osmond RN

The dense covering of silver embroidery on this silk coat and waistcoat indicates that they were Court dress. The cut is quite conservative in style compared to formal daywear of the 1760s, although the length of the waistcoat and narrow cuff reflect current fashions. Court dress in Britain was more subdued than that worn elsewhere in Europe. The plain coloured silk and light covering of embroidery suggest that this ensemble was made and worn in England.

T.26&A-1950