Waistcoat thumbnail 1
Waistcoat thumbnail 2
+2
images
Not on display

Waistcoat

1750-1759 (made), 1870-1910 (altered)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Man’s waistcoat with a round neckline, curving fronts and skirts reaching to between the middle and top of the thigh. Each front has a pocket and shaped pocket flap. The fronts and pocket flaps are made of ivory silk taffeta. The pockets and pocket flaps are lined with ivory silk twill. The waistcoat is brocaded-to-shape with coloured silk floss, silver thread, frisé and strip, and silver-gilt strip, in a pattern of flowers and pineapples on a ribbon border, with a ground of repeating floral trails, along the front edges and hems and on the pocket flaps. There are 13 worked buttonholes along the left front with 13 silver-gilt passementerie buttons on the right front.

The waistcoat was altered in the 19th century, probably for fancy dress. The back skirts were removed, part of the right front and back were replaced with cotton twill and the waistcoat relined with cotton twill.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk, silver, silver-gilt; hand-woven brocade, hand-sewn
Brief description
Man's waistcoat, 1750s, British; ivory silk, woven-to-shape with silk and metal thread, Spitalfields, altered 1870-1910
Physical description
Man’s waistcoat with a round neckline, curving fronts and skirts reaching to between the middle and top of the thigh. Each front has a pocket and shaped pocket flap. The fronts and pocket flaps are made of ivory silk taffeta. The pockets and pocket flaps are lined with ivory silk twill. The waistcoat is brocaded-to-shape with coloured silk floss, silver thread, frisé and strip, and silver-gilt strip, in a pattern of flowers and pineapples on a ribbon border, with a ground of repeating floral trails, along the front edges and hems and on the pocket flaps. There are 13 worked buttonholes along the left front with 13 silver-gilt passementerie buttons on the right front.

The waistcoat was altered in the 19th century, probably for fancy dress. The back skirts were removed, part of the right front and back were replaced with cotton twill and the waistcoat relined with cotton twill.
Dimensions
  • Right shoulder to hem length: 86.5cm (approx)
  • Chest under armholes circumference: 110.5cm (approx)
Marks and inscriptions
  • HEREFORD EXHIBTION, 1901 / Owner's / No. Country / Catalogue / No. Description / Lent by

    Note
    Printed in black ink on paper label sewn to right front lining at waist

  • England / Waistcoat worn / by B?? B?? / Burton Court 1686 / Mrs Edward S?? Hall

    Note
    Handwritten in black ink on paper label sewn to right front lining at waist

Collection
Accession number
T.227-1982

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest