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Coat, Waistcoat and Breeches

1760-1769 (weaving), 1760s (sewing)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A man's coat, waistcoat and breeches of blue silk uncut and voided velvet in a small-scale pattern of diamonds with a central oval. The coat has a round neckline, bound with a narrow strip of velvet. It has shaped, two-piece sleeves reaching to the wrist with a round cuff (13 cm at top; 14.5 cm at bottom). The coat fronts curve from neck to hem, with wide skirts below the hip, set in pleats (18 cm deep), one in front and one at the back of the side openings. There is an inverted pleat on either side of the centre back opening. There is a scalloped pocket flap on each front at hip level. The sleeves and pockets are lined with unbleached linen; the coat fronts, backs and pocket flaps with blue silk taffeta. The front edges of the coat, edges of the back vent, the cuffs and pocket flaps are lightly interlined. There are 19 velvet-covered buttons on the right front, running from neck to hem, but only 11 corresponding buttonholes on the left front, running from neck to neck to the pocket flap. There are 5 buttons below the pocket flaps, one at the top of the side pleats, one holding them together at the hem, and two on the side edges of the back. The cuffs each have 5 buttons along the top edge.

The waistcoat fronts and back skirts are made of the velvet; the waistcoat backs of blue twill worsted. The neckline is round and bound with a narrow strip of velvet. The front edges curve from neck to hem, with skirts below the hip reaching to mid-thigh. There is a scalloped pocket flap on each front at waist level. The waistcoat torso is lined with fustian,the pocket with linen, the skirts with blue silk taffeta; the front edges are faced with the taffeta. There are 19 velvet-covered small buttons on the right front running from neck to hem, but only 14 corresponding buttonholes on the left, running from neck to the pocket flap. There are 5 buttons below the pocket flaps.

The breeches are made of the velvet, cut in two fronts and two backs, with a two-piece waistband. The back is higher than the front, with the fullness of the back legs gathered into the waistbands. There is a fall front with pocket flap on either side and a pocket in the waistband lining on each side of the front. The fall front is lined with blue silk taffeta, the pockets with chamois and faced with blue silk, the waistbands and legs with fustian. The waistbands fasten at the front with two large, velvet-covered buttons and buckle bands at the back. There is a small button fastening each pocket flap and the corners of the fall front. The legs fasten on the outside, with 4 small buttons on the back legs and 4 buttonholes on the front legs, with buckle bands on the lower edge of each leg.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Coat
  • Waistcoat
  • Breeches
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, cotton, chamois leather, silk thread, linen thread; hand-woven velvet, fustian, taffeta, hand-sewn
Brief description
A man's coat, waistcoat and breeches, English, 1760s; blue silk uncut and voided velvet, English, 1760s
Physical description
A man's coat, waistcoat and breeches of blue silk uncut and voided velvet in a small-scale pattern of diamonds with a central oval. The coat has a round neckline, bound with a narrow strip of velvet. It has shaped, two-piece sleeves reaching to the wrist with a round cuff (13 cm at top; 14.5 cm at bottom). The coat fronts curve from neck to hem, with wide skirts below the hip, set in pleats (18 cm deep), one in front and one at the back of the side openings. There is an inverted pleat on either side of the centre back opening. There is a scalloped pocket flap on each front at hip level. The sleeves and pockets are lined with unbleached linen; the coat fronts, backs and pocket flaps with blue silk taffeta. The front edges of the coat, edges of the back vent, the cuffs and pocket flaps are lightly interlined. There are 19 velvet-covered buttons on the right front, running from neck to hem, but only 11 corresponding buttonholes on the left front, running from neck to neck to the pocket flap. There are 5 buttons below the pocket flaps, one at the top of the side pleats, one holding them together at the hem, and two on the side edges of the back. The cuffs each have 5 buttons along the top edge.

The waistcoat fronts and back skirts are made of the velvet; the waistcoat backs of blue twill worsted. The neckline is round and bound with a narrow strip of velvet. The front edges curve from neck to hem, with skirts below the hip reaching to mid-thigh. There is a scalloped pocket flap on each front at waist level. The waistcoat torso is lined with fustian,the pocket with linen, the skirts with blue silk taffeta; the front edges are faced with the taffeta. There are 19 velvet-covered small buttons on the right front running from neck to hem, but only 14 corresponding buttonholes on the left, running from neck to the pocket flap. There are 5 buttons below the pocket flaps.

The breeches are made of the velvet, cut in two fronts and two backs, with a two-piece waistband. The back is higher than the front, with the fullness of the back legs gathered into the waistbands. There is a fall front with pocket flap on either side and a pocket in the waistband lining on each side of the front. The fall front is lined with blue silk taffeta, the pockets with chamois and faced with blue silk, the waistbands and legs with fustian. The waistbands fasten at the front with two large, velvet-covered buttons and buckle bands at the back. There is a small button fastening each pocket flap and the corners of the fall front. The legs fasten on the outside, with 4 small buttons on the back legs and 4 buttonholes on the front legs, with buckle bands on the lower edge of each leg.
Dimensions
  • Coat length: 116cm (Approximately)
  • Coat width: 45cm (Across chest when flat)
Production typeUnique
Object history
Miss A Morgan sold the suit to the V&A in 1890, with the following information: 'The blue suit was bought at the sale of the contents of Bosworth Hall, Leicestershire, the hosue of Sir Beaumont and Lady Florence Dixie. At the sale it was decolared to have been made for and worn at the coronation of one of the Georges, by the head of the Dixie family of that date.'
Collection
Accession number
352-1890

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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